Matthew Tirrell
Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago
Talk Title
Peptide-Conjugated Polyelectrolyte Complex Micelles
Presentation Time
SESSION 10: BIOINSPIRED & INTELLIGENT PEPTIDE MATERIALS
Wednesday, June 28, 2023, at 11:05 am - 11:30 am
Vascular disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States and globally. Pathological vascular remodeling, such as atherosclerosis and stenosis, largely develop at arterial sites of curvature, branching, and bifurcation, where disturbed blood flow activates vascular endothelium. Current pharmacological treatments of vascular complications principally target systemic risk factors. Improvements are needed.
We have devised a peptide targeted polyelectrolyte complex micelle to deliver therapeutic nucleotides to inflamed endothelium in vivo by displaying the peptide VHPKQHR targeting vascular cell adhesion molecule 1, VCAM-1, on the periphery of the micelle. This platform, with a different targeting peptide, also works well for delivering therapeutic agents to inflamed lung tissue.
Acknowledgment
In collaboration with Professor Yun Fang, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago
Matthew Tirrell is the dean of the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (PME) at the University of Chicago. His personal research specializes in the manipulation and measurement of polymer surface properties. Dean Tirrell’s work has provided new insight into phenomena such as adhesion, friction, and biocompatibility, and contributed to the development of new materials based on self-assembly of synthetic and bio-inspired materials.
Before becoming dean of Pritzker Molecular Engineering in 2011, Tirrell served as the Arnold and Barbara Silverman Professor and chair of the Department of Bioengineering at the University of California, Berkeley, and as professor of materials science and engineering and chemical engineering and faculty scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Prior to that, he was dean of engineering at the University of California, Santa Barbara for 10 years. Tirrell began his academic career at the University of Minnesota as an assistant professor in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering and later became head of the department. Tirrell also served as Deputy Laboratory Director for Science at Argonne National Laboratory, 2015-2018. Effective June 2022, he serves as Interim Deputy Laboratory Director for Science and Technology, where he is responsible for integrating the laboratory’s research and development efforts and science and technology capabilities.
