Long Feng Science Forum Seminar Series | Seminar #132

Dear All,

You are cordially invited to the 132nd seminar of Long Feng Science Forum Seminar Series. It will be delivered by Prof. Greg QIAO (The University of Melbourne) at 2:00 pm on June 4 (Tuesday). This seminar will discuss "Controlled Precision Polymers, Polymeric Implants, and Drugs".

Seminar Information

Time & Date: 2:00 - 3:00 PM on  June 4 (Tuesday), Beijing Time

Venue: Room 110, Teaching D

Speaker: Prof. Greg QIAO, The University of Melbourne

Host: Prof. Qi ZHANG, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen

Abstract: 

This talk will introduce our recently developed platform technologies based on mordant polymer chemistry. The seminar will first describe our latest research on controlled precision polymer synthesis, specifically focusing on new activation or mediation methods for RAFT polymerization. These methods include photo iniferter-RAFT, Sono-RAFT, Fenton-RAFT, blood-catalyzed RAFT, RAFT initiated by the growth of bacteria, as well as those under specific environments such as ionic liquids. An example is the semi bio-Fenton RAFT polymerization of DMA, achieving full conversion within 60 minutes without a loss of chain end fidelity. Using a robot, we were able to create a 39-block copolymer with block sequence control, enabling control over different complex polymer structures with just a click of the mouse.

The insights gained from RAFT work in Fenton chemistry also inspired us to design novel therapeutic agents for cancer treatment without using traditional cancer drugs. The Fenton cancer therapy applies cancer's own conditions to facilitate the treatment. Another example is the novel biocompatible and injectable gels. 

Antimicrobial resistance is a major threat to human health, and this potential 'pandemic' looms as a public health crisis. There is an urgent need to find an antibiotic alternative drug to combat this global issue. The third part of the seminar will then present our latest work on Structurally Nano-Engineered Antimicrobial Peptide-Polymers (SNAPPs), amino acid-based (lysine and valine) star polymers with 8-32 arms, as potential alternative antimicrobial materials with clinical promise as novel therapeutics to combat antimicrobial resistance (Nat Rev Bioeng, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1038/s44222-023-00143-4).

Finally, we will provide an update on our latest work on synthetic cornea research, explaining how polymeric substrates can enhance current cornea surgery and address the shortage of corneal implants.

Biography

Professor Greg Qiao received his B.Eng in Donghua University in 1982 and Ph.D. at The University of Queensland in 1996. He joined The University of Melbourne in 1996 and became a full Professor in 2009. He is currently an Associate Dean in the Faculty of Engineering & IT. He was an Australian Research Council (ARC)’s Future Fellow (2012-2015) and is a Fellow of Royal Australia Chemical Institute (RACI) and Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), London. Prof. Qiao was the Chair of Polymer Division of the RACI (2015-2016) and a member of ARC College of Experts (2016-2018). Prof. Qiao received RACI Applied Research Award in 2017, ExxonMobil Award in 2015, RACI’s Polymer Division Citations in 2011 and 2019 as well as the Freehills Award in 2010. He has published more than 300 journal papers and a co-inventor of more than 20 patents. His key research interests are in new polymer synthesis, polymeric drug and drug delivery, biopolymers, and polymers for soft tissue engineering.  

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