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University of Minnesota

Department of Chemical Engineering and Material Science (CEMS)

Group Members


Principle Investigator

Efie KokkoliEfie Kokkoli
Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science
Graduate Faculty of Biomedical Engineering
Education Diploma, Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki , Greece, 1992
M.S., Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1994
Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1998
Research Group Research
Contact kokkoli@cems.umn.edu
306 Amundson Hall
612-626-1185
612-626-7246 (fax)

Graduate Students

Maroof Adil Maroof Adil
Education BS in Chemical Engineering from MIT, 2007
BS in Biology from MIT, 2007
Research Targeted Stealth Liposomes for Gene Therapy in Colorectal Cancer
Contact adil@cems.umn.edu
218 Amundson Hall
612-625-8573
Nicole Lorenzen Nicole Atchison
Education BS Chemical Engineering, Iowa State University, 2006
Research Benign Gels by Silica Nanoparticle Assembly for Cell Encapsulation
Cell encapsulation has been studied for over 50 years with methods from microencapsulation to macroencapsulation. In order for the encapsulated cells to remain viable the capsule must have a specific permeability, provide immunoprotection, have appropriate mechanical properties, and be biocompatible with its system. The capsule must have a porosity size that allows transport of molecules essential for cell survival to the cell (e.g. glucose, oxygen) and of the metabolic end products and secreted substances away from the cell (e.g. carbon dioxide, insulin) The capsule must, at the same time, inhibit the inflow of molecules that may cause immunogenic responses (e.g. T-cells) or inhibit cellular processes.

This study will focus on the use of silica nanoparticles formed into a structured gel for cell encapsulation. The silica nanoparticles have a narrow size distribution, which leads to increased gel porosity control, and can be formed in aqueous solutions in the presence of basic amino acids at near neutral pH. The nanoparticles can be used as building blocks for the structured gels by the addition of gelation agents to the aqueous sols. This method will allow for the control of pore size and the functionality of the silica surfaces by fuctionalizing the silica nanoparticles. Pancreatic islets, which secrete insulin, will be the first target for encapsulation. The hypothesis is that there will be an optimal combination of gel pore size and pore chemistry to ensure cell encapsulation, viability, and insulin production.
Contact atchison.nicole@gmail.com
218 Amundson Hall
612-625-8573
Todd Pangburn Todd Pangburn
Education BS in Chemical Engineering from Texas A&M University, 2004
Research Peptide Decorated Polymersomes with Applications in Targeted Drug Delivery
Polymersomes, the block co-polymer analog of liposomes, have been synthesized in the Bates group (S. Jain, F. S. Bates, Science 300, 460, 2003) and the Kokkoli Group specializes in designing peptides that mimic the binding sites of physiologically important proteins. I am seeking to integrate the synthesis of these polymersomes and these custom designed peptides, and decorate the surface of polymersome vesicles with these peptides. The peptide surface of the polymersome vesicle will provide the binding specificity needed for the targeted delivery of the drug carried within the polymersome vesicle.
Contact pangburn@cems.umn.edu
358 Amundson Hall
612-626-1005
Tim Pearce Tim Pearce
Education BS in Biomedical Engineering from UW-Madison, 2008
Research Design and Characterization of Aptamer-Amphiphiles for Selective Binding
Contact tim.r.pearce@gmail.com
218 Amundson Hall
612-625-8573
Matt Peterson Matt Peterson
Education BS in Materials Science and Engineering from University of Arizona, 2007
Research Functionalized Degradable Polymersomes for Cancer Targeting
Contact pete6356@umn.edu
218 Amundson Hall
612-625-8573
Emilie GrzywaEmilie Rexeisen
Education BS in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University, 2005
Research Self-Assembly of Fibronectin Mimetic Peptide-Amphiphile Nanofibers
Contact emilie@umn.edu
336 Amundson Hall
612-625-8573
Brett Waybrant Brett Waybrant
Education BS in Chemical Engineering from Oregon State University, 2007
Research Designing Liposomal Interfaces for Dual-Ligand Targeting to Prostate Cancer Cells
Contact waybr001@umn.edu
218 Amundson Hall

Postdoctoral Researchers

Kamlesh Shroff Kamlesh Shroff
Education Ph.D. in Microsystems Engineering from University of Freiburg, Germany, 2007
Research Targeting cells to adhesion promoting RGD peptides presented on biomimetic interfaces or 3D matrices is becoming increasingly popular for seeking variety of applications in cell-arrays, drug delivery, biocompatible coatings, etc. Success of most of these not only depends on adhesion of cells, but also on how well do the cells proliferate and grow in such surroundings. My research focuses on designing biomimetic surfaces and investigating the fate of cells after adhesion to biomimetic peptides by studying the signaling pathways that lead cells to either successfully adhere and thereby proliferate or induce apoptosis on artificial surfaces.
Contact shroff@cems.umn.edu
336 Amundson Hall
612-625-0584

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