Matthew L. Becker
Professor of Polymer Science and Biomedical Engineering
The University of Akron
Seminar Information
Cellular systems respond to many cues from their microenvironment, which may include chemical signals, mechanical signals, and topography. Importantly, these cues may be incorporated into scaffolding to control cell responses and optimize their ability to produce tissues in regenerative medicine applications. Despite the significant amount of work in this area, the materials have been primarily static and uniform. The number of rationally designed and translationally-relevant materials emerging from research laboratories remains limited and lacks chemical diversity. To this end, we have developed a number of technologies that include the ability to attach highly functional and bioactive groups to polymer constructs post fabrication that include hydrogels, fibers and polymeric scaffolds. All are degradable and designed to be restorative or therapeutic in nature This presentation will highlight our recent efforts in this area.
Matthew L. Becker is a Professor of Polymer Science and Biomedical Engineering at The University of Akron (UA).Professor Becker leads the Center for Biomaterials in Medicine of the Austen Bioinnovation Institute in Akron and directs the industrial-focused Akron Functional Materials Center. His multi-disciplinary research group focuses on synthesizing macromolecular materials for molecular sensing, translational 3D printing, and regenerative medicine applications.
Prior to joining UA in 2009, Dr. Becker led projects in Bio-imaging and Tissue Engineering at The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) from 2005 to 2009. He was a National Research Council postdoctoral fellow in Surface Biophysics at NIST (2003-2005). Dr Becker was a NIH Chemistry – Biology Interface Training Fellow and received his PhD in organic chemistry from Washington University in St. Louis in 2003 under the direction of Professor Karen L. Wooley.