The Betancourt group works to develop functional, stimuli-responsive biomaterials at the nano-, micro-, and macroscale that can be used to detect, diagnose, monitor, and treat cancer and other diseases. For over 10 years, we have used an interdisciplinary approach that invites students from many different backgrounds to develop novel biomaterials.
WHAT WE DO
- Design novel biomaterials that have tailorable properties at the molecular level to enable intelligent interaction with biomolecules, cells and tissues.
- Prepare polymeric nanoparticles that can be used for molecular imaging, drug delivery or light-triggered therapeutic strategies.
- Develop stimuli-responsive hydrogels for drug delivery and 3D cell culture applilcations
- Evaluate the potential of the biomaterials developed by studying the compatibility (nontoxicity) and interaction of these structures with biological molecules and cultured cell models of disease.
FEATURED IN
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
Thapa, K.; FitzSimons, T. M.; Otakpor, M. U.; Siller, M. M.; Crowell, A. D.; Zepeda, J. E.; Torres, E.; Roe, L. N.; Arts, J.; Rosales, A.; Betancourt, T. Photothermal Modulation of Dynamic Covalent Poly(ethylene glycol)/PEDOT Composite Hydrogels for On-Demand Drug Delivery. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. 2023, 15, 52180-52196. Link
ACS Applied Polymer Materials
Haya, G.; Runsewe, D. O.; Otakpor, M. U.; Pohlman, G. E.; Towne, A.; Betancourt, T.; Irvin, J. A. Functionalized Thiophene-Based Aptasensors for the Electrochemical Detection of Mucin-1. ACS Applied Polymer Materials 2023, 5, 1208-1218. Link
INTERESTED IN JOINING US?
Please contact us! We are happy to provide opportunities to graduate and undergraduate students, as well as visiting scientists, exchange students, and high school students.