ACS AMA: Hi Reddit! We are Sylvia Daunert, Suzana Hamdan, and Irena
Pastar of the University of Miami. Ask us anything about using
nanotechnology to heal wounds!
Abstract
ACS AMA Hello Reddit! We are Sylvia Daunert, Suzana Hamdan, and Irena
Pastar of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. In February
2017, we published our research in ACS Central Science, an open access
journal, entitled “Nanotechnology-Driven Therapeutic Interventions in
Wound Healing: Potential Uses and Applications” We look forward to
answering your questions about this research today! To introduce
ourselves, alphabetically by surname: I am Sylvia Daunert and I am the
Lucille P. Markey Chair of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, as well
as the Associate Director of the Dr. JT Macdonald Biomedical
Nanotechnology Institute at the University of Miami. My group’s research
focuses on the development of bio-inspired nanotechnologies to solve
biomedical and environmental problems. We genetically engineer living
cells and proteins for environmental detection, molecular sensing,
molecular diagnostics, point-of-care tests, biomarker identification,
and targeted and responsive drug delivery. We recently developed a
nanocarrier-based method for the targeted delivery of stem cells for
wound healing. The technology, while widely applicable to a variety of
wounds, was first demonstrated in diabetic wounds and in animal models
of corneal and retinal injury. I was a Fulbright Scholar at the
University of Michigan, and awarded my Ph.D. in bioanalytical chemistry
at the University of Barcelona in Spain. I am Suzana Hamdan and I am a
Postdoctoral Associate in the Daunert Research Group at the University
of Miami Miller School of Medicine. My current research interests focus
on the biological studies of nanomaterials derived from pharmaceutical
drugs. In fall 2007, I received a Master of Science degree from East
Tennessee State University, and was awarded a Ph.D. degree in May 2015
from the chemistry department at Louisiana State University. During my
graduate studies, I developed novel techniques for size-control of
nanoparticles derived from organic salts, and designed molecularly
imprinted polymeric nanoparticles for chiral recognition of biological
targets. I am currently the author of eight published scientific papers,
with a special focus on nanotechnology and analytical chemistry fields.
I am Irena Pastar and I am an Assistant Professor at the University of
Miami, Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery. Our department
has developed an unique wound healing research program focused on
understanding the nature of non-healing wounds at the cellular and
molecular levels. We have also been active in a variety of pre-clinical
studies and clinical trials evaluating bioengineered products, drugs,
dressings and devices important to wound repair. After receiving my
Ph.D. in molecular microbiology and completing a postdoctoral fellowship
in immunology at the Rockefeller University, I pursued translational
research in cutaneous wound healing. My research focuses on the
molecular pathophysiology of chronic wounds and cutaneous infections. I
am a leading investigator and co-investigator on multiple federal and
industry sponsored studies on novel wound healing therapeutics and
chronic wound pathogenesis. Ask us anything about using nanotechnology
to heal wounds! We will be back at 12pm ET (9am PT, 5pm UTC) to answer
your questions. Hi Reddit! Sylvia, Irena, and I are online , and happy
to answer your questions! Hello Reddit Users, We are logging off for a
while, but will be back later to answer your questions. Thank you for
your interest in our field! Irena, Suzana and Sylvia Hi Reddit! We are
back online again and ready to answer more questions! We are logging off
for now, we might answer few more questions later on. We would like to
thank all who participated in our AMA Reddit today and apologize to
those who did not get an answer due to a lack of time to get to all
questions. Hope you continue your interest in nanotechnology and keep on
supporting research. It is really important to us and our global
scientific community! Thanks again, Suzana, Irena and Sylvia