Reminder: Seminar today. Students and faculty are invited to meet with Dr. Panitch from 1:30-2:30 pm in room 3059. Purdue University School of Chemical Engineering Graduate Seminar Series - GSO Seminar Dr. Alyssa Panitch Associate Department Head and Professor of Biomedical Engineering Purdue University "Tissue Healing and Regeneration: From Invention to Translation" Tuesday, November 1, 2011 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. FRNY G140 ABSTRACT: Using biology as a template for designing engineered analogues, we have developed two classes of molecular therapeutics coined peptidoglycans. The first class of molecules, called collagen-binding peptidoglycans, mimic many of the key functions of native small leucine-rich proteoglycans such as decorin. Proteoglycans are key ingredients for proper function and organization of collagenous tissues - the most abundant of thebody. The peptidoglycan design simplifies the native molecules to a polysaccharide chain with covalently attached collagen-binding peptides, but has the advantage of design control and the ability to make synthetically in large quantities. We have tailored the peptidoglycans for applications in dermal healing and inhibition of intimal hyperplasia following balloon angioplasty. The second class of peptidoglycans comprises mimics of the proteoglycan aggrecan. These mimics were designed based on the umet medical need of a treatment for osteoarthritis. The following design constraints were adapted: the aggrecan mimic must be resistant to proteolysis, easy to synthesis and must protect the native extracellular matrix from further degradation. Through out development of these technologies, the laboratory keeps a keen focus on both answering basic science and engineering questions and driving the technological solutions toward the market. This talk will focus both on research and technology transfer.