BPI Seminar by Dr. Elizabeth Amir

The Ability to Control Molecular Architecture & Properties of Biopolymers Using Emerging Chemical Reactions

Location: CHBE #202, 2360 East Mall Vancouver BC V6T 1Z4

Agenda

• 1:30 PM  Introduction by Prof. Emily Cranston
• 1:35 PM  Presentation by Prof. Elizabeth Amir, Polymer Materials Engineering, Shenkar College, Israel
• 2:15 PM  Q&A

Abstract

Last decades witnessed an exponential growth in the development of novel materials and technologies based on natural and synthetic biopolymers such as polysaccharides from cellulose, proteins from collagen, polylactic acid and others. In the modern era of man-made polymers, the engines behind research on biopolymers are reduction of environmental impact and innovative applications where sustainable and biodegradable solutions are needed. The first part of this talk will describe design strategies and methods for surface modification of cellulose- and collagen-based substrates such as cotton fabrics and fish leather, specifically seeking chemical processes which are modular, scalable and would preserve the intrinsic properties of the substrate, while introducing durable and functional coatings. The examples will include preparation and novel applications of cotton fabrics and fish leather with controlled hydrophobicity, oil-water separation, pH regulation, antibacterial, and electro-conductive properties. The second part of the presentation will show how byproducts from food industry such as fish skin gelatin can be used as high-value materials for the fabrication of biodegradable food packaging and crosslinked hydrogels for encapsulation and controlled release of active agents. The most important learning that we gain from the results of our research is that modern chemical reactions allow facile synthesis of functionalized biopolymers with well-controlled molecular architectures. 

About the Speaker

Prof. Elizabeth Amir received her Ph.D. in chemistry in 2007 from Tel Aviv University, Israel. During her doctorate, she studied the synthesis of new organic small molecules using fluorine-based reagents under Prof. Shlomo Rozen. After completing her doctorate, Elizabeth was awarded a Rothschild fellowship and went to the United States for her post-doctoral work with Prof. Craig Hawker at the University of California, Santa Barbara. During her post-doc (2008-2012), she studied polymers for biomedical and electronic applications.

In 2012, Elizabeth returned to Israel and joined the Department of Polymer Materials Engineering at Shenkar. Her research focuses on polymer chemistry and materials engineering, including the development of functional materials with precise properties for applications ranging from stimuli-responsive hydrogels to next-generation smart textiles. Her current interests include developing chemical processes for transforming byproducts from the food, mariculture, and textile industries into high-value materials. Elizabeth has published over 35 manuscripts and received 15 research grants from EU and Israeli innovation funding programs, the Israeli Ministry of Science and Technology, and other organizations.

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