U.S.-India International Research Experience for Students in Self-Assembling Stimuli-Responsive Biomimetic Polymers

1132079南密西西比大学高分子与高性能材料学院（SPHPM）的Sarah Morgan教授将与印度理工学院德里高分子科学与工程中心的Veena Choudhary教授共同启动一个为期3年的IRES项目。IRES建立在Morgan和Choudhary在纳米材料方面的现有合作基础上，将允许美国研究生和本科生在IIT-D进行研究，重点是设计仿生刺激响应自组装聚合物，用于生物材料或控释应用的潜在应用。合作包括设计聚合物的架构能够模仿生物反应，通过控制自由基聚合技术。该项目结合了IIT-D在生物材料设计和分析方面的优势，以及SPHPM在受控聚合物合成、溶液和表面分析以及自组装聚合物结构开发方面的专业知识。研究人员将探索两种仿生系统：1)合成仿生聚合物中影响聚合物中蛋白质结合的结构因素；2)ph响应聚合体的包封和释放行为，以确定聚合物的自组装特性作为加工和环境条件的函数。网络技术将促进数据和思想的交流，加速研究进程，以及用于传感和诊断的新材料的开发。对于南密西西比大学的弱势群体来说，这是一个独特的机会，可以参与印度首屈一指的理工学院之一的国际研究。与其他国家的学生相比，美国学生参与国际研究的程度要低得多，在少数民族中，参与国际研究的人数要少得多。除了与IIT-D导师一起进行实验室研究外，IRES学生将在印度体验强大的文化项目，并有机会参观当地的聚合物企业以及由领先的跨国公司建立的研究中心，以获得对全球研究企业的一些了解。

1132079Morgan University of Southern Mississippi U.S.-India International Research Experience for Students (IRES) in Self-Assembling Stimuli-Responsive Biomimetic Polymers Professor Sarah Morgan, University of Southern Mississippi School of Polymers & High Performance Materials (SPHPM) will launch a 3-year IRES program with Professor Veena Choudhary, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT-D), Center for Polymer Science & Engineering. The IRES builds on an existing collaboration between Morgan and Choudhary in nanomaterials and will allow US graduate and undergraduates to conduct research at IIT-D that focuses on the design of biomimetic stimuli-responsive self-assembling polymers for potential application in biomaterials or controlled release applications. The collaboration involves the design of polymers for architectures capable of mimicking biological response through controlled radical polymerization techniques. This project combines IIT-D strengths in design and analysis of biomaterials with SPHPM expertise in controlled polymer synthesis, solution and surface analysis, and development of self-assembling polymeric structures. The investigators will explore two biomimetic systems- 1) the structural factors in synthetic biomimetic polymers that affect protein binding in polymers, and 2) the encapsulation and release behavior of pH-responsive polymersomes to determine self-assembling properties of polymers as a function of processing and environmental conditions. Web technology will facilitate the exchange of data and ideas, accelerate the research process, as well as the development of new materials for application in sensing and diagnostics. This is a unique opportunity for under-represented groups at the University of Southern Mississippi to participate in international research at one of India's premier institutes of technology. US students participate in international research to a much lesser degree than students from other countries, and among minorities, there are significantly fewer participants. Apart from conducting laboratory research with IIT-D mentors, IRES students will experience a strong cultural program while in India and will have the opportunity to visit local polymer businesses along with research centers established by leading multinational companies in order to gain some appreciation of the global research enterprise.