Heidi van de Wouw

 About Heidi

• Advisor: Ellen Sletten
• Department: Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Campus: UCLA
• BioPACIFIC MIP Research: SET 4 - Degradation-optimized Materials

 What is your research focus?

I am currently synthesizing surfactants that are able to be used in vivo to measure cell and tissue level stresses in developing tissues. These surfactants have to remain in tact throughout their life time in vivo to preserve the fidelity of the measurement. Towards this aim, surfactants have been engineered to have minimal water solubility, to prevent enzyme catalyzed hydrolysis, and have been formed using an amide bond, instead of the more easily hydrolyzable ester bond. Further amphiphiles have also been synthesized to promote biotherapeutic delivery, utilizing a <6 C perfluorocarbon chain, to promote bodily clearance of the fluorous group upon potential metabolism.

 What excites you about NSF BioPACIFIC MIP?

Having been a Fellow of BioPACIFIC MIP, I would like to continue my fellowship as I have had great opportunities learning from experts in the field, having conversation with equipment technicians, and sharing my work with the cohort. I have found the informational talks especially informative, and have also applied to a job that was posted in the Slack. As I am currently looking for new employment, continuing this fellowship will directly assist me in finishing this chapter at UCLA.