Uhrich, Kathryn

	Phone:	732-445-0361
	E-mail:
	FAX:	732-445-7036
	Lab:	732-445-5630 (WRL-271)
	Office:	Wright Rieman Labs 311 / 77 Hamilton St, Rm 208
	Mail:	Chemistry & Chemical Biology, 610 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854

Research Summary

The focus in my laboratory is on the synthesis and characterization of biocompatible polymers for medical and dental applications such as drug delivery and tissue engineering. Our polymers are designed to be degradable as well as biocompatible.

Polymeric Micelles

Polymeric micelles are nanocarriers that water-solubilize hydrophobic drug molecules yet can also be bioactive by themselves. These polymers were designed with a branched, hydrophobic interior (core) and hydrophilic exterior (shell) to maintain physical properties characteristic of conventional micelles, but with enhanced thermodynamic stability.

Two general classes of nanoscale polymeric micelles are under investigation: amphiphilic starlike macromolecules (ASMs) and amphiphilic scorpion-like macromolecules (AScMs). These two systems are chemically similar, but structurally different. ASMs behave as unimolecular micelles, whereas AScMs must first aggregate to form micellar structures.

Micropatterns

Micropatterns of protein on biocompatible polymeric substrates can mimic cues to promote neuron growth. While both physical and chemical cues direct regrowth in vivo, these cues are not always enough to bridge the gap caused by injury and restore function to the nerve (target). Currently, we are developing alternate patterning methods to generate nanoscale features and protein gradients, as well as creating synthetic nerve guidance conduits.

PolymerDrugs

PolymerDrugs such as PolyAspirin are novel polyanhydrides that hydrolytically degrade into salicylic acid (or related drug molecules), which can locally reduce post-operative inflammation and pain. In addition to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), several other drug classes are investigated, including antiseptics, antiproliferatives, and antibiotics. We are evaluating food-based bioactives to control bacteria in packaging.

Awards & Honors

• Turner Alfrey Visiting Professorship, Michigan Macromolecular Institute, 2012
• POLY Fellow, American Chemical Society, 2012
• Finalist, Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists, New York Academy of Sciences, 2007
• Buck-Whitney Award, American Chemical Society, 2005
• Thomas Alva Edison Patent Award: Medical/Technology Transfer - New Jersey R&D Council, 2003
• Fellow, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, 2003

Recent Publications

Johnson, ML; Piracha, NZ; Casas, R; McDermott, MK: Dair, BJ; Padwardhan, DV: Uhrich, KE “Ampicillin-based Poly(Anhydride-Amide) as Metal Implant Coatings”, special Regenerative Medicine issue, Adv Mater, under review. [invited)]

Kim, Y and Uhrich, KE “Synthesis and characterization of 5-aminosaliyclic acid-based poly(anhydride-esters) by solution polymerization”, J Polym Sci: Part A, accepted.

deRonde, BM; Carbone, AL; Uhrich, KE “Storage Stability Study of Salicylate-based Poly(anhydride-esters)", Polymer Degradation and Stability, 95, 1778-1782 (2010).

Iverson, N; Sparks, S; Demirdirek, B; Uhrich, KE; Moghe, PV “Controllable Inhibition of Cellular Uptake of Oxidized Low Density Lipoprotein: Structure-property relationships for nanoscale amphiphilic macromolecules”, Acta Biomater, 6 (8) 3081-3090 (2010).

Del Rosario, LS; Demirdirek, B; Harmon, A; Orban, D; Uhrich, KE “Micellar nanocarriers assembled from doxorubicin-conjugated amphiphilic macromolecules”, Macromol Biosci, 10 (4) 415-423 (2010).

Griffin, J; Carbone, A; Delgado-Rivera, R; Meiners, S; Uhrich, KE “Design and Evaluation of Novel Polyanhydride Blends as Nerve Guidance Conduits” Acta Biomaterials, 6, 1917-1924 (2010).

Guinta, AR; Carbone, AL; Rosenberg, LE; Uhrich, KE; Tabak, M; Chikindas, ML “Slow release of salicylic acid from degrading poly(anhydride ester) polymer disrupts bimodal pH and prevents biofilm formation in Salmonella typhimurium MAE52” in Biofilms: Formation, Development and Properties. Chapter 27. (Editor: WIlliam C. Bailey). Nova Science Publishers, Inc. ISBN: 978-1-61728-293-5.

Recent Patents

• Uhrich, KE “Therapeutics Compositions and
  Methods”; US PN 8,088,405 (issued January 3, 2012)
• Uhrich, KE “Polyanhydrides with
  Therapeutically Useful Degradation Products”; US PN 8,017,714 (issued September
  13, 2011)
• Uhrich, KE “Polyanhydride
  Linkers for Production of Drug Polymers and Drug Polymer Compositions Produced
  Thereby”; US PN 7,666,398B2 (issued February 23, 2010)
• Uhrich, KE “Polyanhydrides with Therapeutically Useful Degradation Products”; US PN 7/534,852 (issued May 19, 2009)