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Bioactive and responsive Polymers

Scientific Topics at RP

Appelhans/Moreno
Appelhans/Moreno
Appelhans/Moreno
Appelhans/Gaitzsch
Gaitzsch
 

Research topics of our department "Bioactive and Responsive Polymers„ are the development of multifunctional and bioactive carrier systems as well as multicompartment systems based on hydrogels, polymeric vesicles, dendritic structures and functional polyesters.

Bioactive supramolecular structures with defined size dimensions ranging from several nanometers up to sub-micrometer are established. Furthermore, complexation and interaction processes of responsive polymers, using them as carrier systems or polymeric vesicles, are also investigated. Polymer vesicles are studied as therapeutic systems and enzymatic nanoreactores. On the other hand, these polymeric vesicles can be transferred into biomimetic organelles and cells (= multicompartment systems) with orthogonal-responsive membranes.

Moreover, hydrogels are to be established further in the fields of biosensoric devices, diagnostic and actuators. We are especially interested in using mono- and bi-responsive hydrogels within microfluidic devices, especially within microsystems technology.

We are also very much interested in synthesising functional polyesters from radical ring-opening polymerisation. This is to enhance the scope of this polymerisation to unravel its full potential in the field of polymer chemistry.

Scientific Staff at RP

Head of Department, Group Leader

Dr. Jens Gaitzsch
+49-351-4658-309 +49-351-4658-565

Group Leader

Dr. Dietmar Appelhans
+49-351-4658-353 +49-351-4658-565

Senior Scientist

Dr. Silvia Moreno
+49-351-4658-494 +49-351-4658-565

Selected Publications

Towards functional synthetic cells: In-depth study of nanoparticle and enzyme diffusion through a crosslinked polymersome membrane
Light-driven proton-transfer for cyclic and temporal switching of enzymatic nanoreactors
Double Cross-linked Supramolecular Hydrogels with Tunable Properties Based on Host-Guest Interactions
Construction of Eukaryotic Cell Biomimetics: Hierarchical Polymersomes-in-Proteinosome Multicompartment with Enzymatic Reactions Modulated Protein Transportation