Engineered sugar-based polymers for advanced biomedical applications**********

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Advanced Polymer Materials Inc. (APM) is a company based in Dorval, QC, manufactures innovative biodegradable and biocompatible specialty polymers to fill the unique R&D needs of customers in pharmaceutical and medical fields. Synthetic sugar group-bearing polymers (glycopolymers) have recently shown interesting potential as alternative replacements of other polymers in drug delivery, the filtration of bacteria such as E. Coli from water through the interactions with sugar-recognizing surface groups. Challenging issues in the synthesis and purification of glycomonomers and polymers limit their commercial availability. Zhu's group at Université de Montréal developed expertise in laboratory scale synthesis and characterization. This 6-month Engage project is proposed to team up APM with Zhu's group in U de M to find solutions to the purification and controllability issues in glycopolymer synthesis, to develop protocols for the synthesis and characterization of a collection of customizable monomers and polymers, and to enlarge the synthetic scale to meet the industrial requirements. Some experiments related to synthetic scaling-up and production will be done in the labs of APM. Pharmaceutical industry in Canada has been strong in R&D and new product development. Through the years, Canada's expertise in this area has often developed through industry-university collaboration. The results will help to improve the competitive edge of the Canadian industry and will bring economic benefits in the form of increased business opportunities and profits, additional employment and tax revenues.