Macromolecules Innovation Institute

2012 SURP Students

• Frances Ampah (Virginia Tech, Psychology/Pre-med); Faculty Mentor: Maren Roman (WOOD)
  Functioalizatio of Celulose Nanocrystals with FITC-Labeled GRGDS Peptide for Cancer Targeting"

• Omkar Betageri (UConn, Biomedical Engineering); Faculty Mentor: Maren Roman (WOOD)
  "Evaluation of the Bioactivity and Biocompatibility of Cellulose Nanocrystals for Bone Tissue Engineering"

• Monica Boatwright (Alabama-Huntsville, Chemical Engineering); Faculty Mentor:  Louis Madsen (CHEM)
  "Study of Polymer Beacons for DNA Delivery by MRI"

• Stacey Chin (Carnegie Mellon, Chemistry); Faculty Mentor:  Richard Turner (CHEM)
  "Synthesis of Anionic Copolymers with Anti-HIV Microbicide Activity"

• Abyssina Davis (St. Paul’s College); Faculty Mentors:  Richard Turner & Rich Gandour (CHEM)
  "Polymers for Anti-HIV Microbicides"

• Travis DePriest (Virginia Tech, Physics); Faculty Mentor:  Jean Heremans & Victoria Soghomonian (Physics)
  "Adsorption of Mixed Linkage Glucans onto Regenerated Cellulose Surfaces"

• Charles Easterling (Univ. of S. Miss., Polymer Science); Faculty Mentor: Tijana Grove (CHEM)
  "Manganese-Organic Frameworks Embedded in Hydrogels and Microspheres"

• Matt Joseph (Roanoke College, Chemistry); Faculty Mentors: James McGrath & Sue Mecham (CHEM)
  "Synthesis of Melt Processable Poly(Acrylonitrile-co- Methyl Acrylate) Copolymers"

• Danielle Kellogg (St. John Fisher College, Chem/Biochem); Faculty Mentor: Judy Riffle (CHEM)
  "Synthesis and Characterization of Diblock Polymer Zwitterions Containing Phosphonate Anions"

• Jennifer Ludwig (UMass-Amherst, Chem/Biochem); Faculty Mentor: Tim Long (CHEM)
  "Polyurethane Electrolytes Based on Phosphonium Cations and their Polyplexes with Nucleic Acids"

• Michelle Mahoney (Virginia Tech, Biochemistry); Faculty Mentor: Kevin Edgar (WOOD)
  "Amphiphilic Pullulan Ethers as Biocompatible Micelles"

• Joshua Moore (St. Paul’s College, Biology); Faculty Mentor:  Kevin Edgar (WOOD
  "Synthesis of Acetylated Alginates"

• Trevor Parker (Virginia Tech, Chemistry); Faculty Mentor:  Rich Gandour (CHEM)
  "Synthesis of Chemical Linkers for Bionanoconstructs"

• Earl Ritchie (Clemson University, Chemistry); Faculty Mentor:  Kevin Edgar (WOOD)
  "Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Cellulose ω-Carboxyalkanoates for the Oral Delivery of Crystalline Drugs"

• Julie Robinson (Clemson University, Chemical Engr.); Faculty Mentor:  Richey Davis (CHE)
  "Properties of Novel Amphiphilic Copolymers in Water"

• Destinii Smith (Shaw University, Biology); Faculty Mentor:  Judy Riffle & Sue Mecham (CHEM)
  "Analysis of Block Copolymers by SEC with Multiple Detectors"