Mechanical and Materials Engineering Seminar: "Translating Micro and Nanotechnologies into Medicine"
Adnan Memic, Ph.D.
Visiting Associate Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, Northwestern University and
Adjunct Research Associate Professor, Department of MME, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Monday, April 8, 2019 | 3 p.m. | SEC 357
Abstract: Engineered materials that integrate advances in nanotechnology, chemistry and biology could soon change the way that medicines are made, delivered, and function. The Memic research group aims to develop regenerative and cell-based therapies using engineering and polymer chemistry principles through a combination of nanoparticles, biomaterials and novel fabrication approaches. Specifically, they combine natural and synthetic polymers with nanoparticles in order to tune the chemical, biological, mechanical and electrical properties of biomaterials. Recently, using custom handheld 3D printing of unique nanocomposite filament scaffolds they are able to induce the differentiation of stem cells to desired cell types and direct the formation of bone tissue. Similarly, using engineered materials they have been able to reprogram immune cell behavior. These engineered biomaterial-based vaccines are meant to modulate immune-cell trafficking and activation by mimicking features of bacterial infection that invokes protective tumor-specific immunity and breakage of tumor tolerance. It is anticipated that such approaches will lead to the development of next-generation regenerative and cell therapeutics and biomedical devices.
Bio: Adnan Memic started his graduate work at University of Sarajevo, School of Pharmacy before moving to Michigan where he graduated summa cum laude with a B.Sci. in Chemistry and minor in Biology at Ave Maria University. He completed his Ph.D. in Chemistry with emphasis in biochemistry from Wayne State University under Prof. Mark Spaller. Next, he was a postdoctoral fellow working on generating neuromodulating nanopartricle platforms (NNPs) in the lab of Prof. Brian Kay at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Previously, he was a Visiting Assistant Professor of Toxicology and Pharmacology at Dartmouth’s Geisel Medical School. He joined King Abdulaziz University in 2010, was promoted to Associate Professor of Nanotechnology, and was previously a Lecturer on Medicine at Harvard Medical School and is now serving as a Visiting Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Northeastern University, Boston, and Adjunct Research Associate Professor at University of Nebraska - Lincoln. His research focuses on technology based innovation centered on combining nanoscience and biomaterials, toward solving challenges in bioelectronics, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. He has published, presented, contributed to over 100 research works including over 60 peer-reviewed journal articles, several US patents/applications and invited seminars.
For more information, contact Dr. Ali Tamayol at 402-472-1601 or atamayol@unl.edu.