Rationale Design of Functional Biomaterials to Address Public Health Challenges

Abstract: Polymeric materials have found incredible use in the field of biomedical research. In the Simms Lab of Functional Biomaterials, we aim to design, synthesize, and characterize novel biomaterials with the goal of addressing some of the world’s most pressing public health challenges. Using our expertise in polymer synthesis, we are designing self-assembling polymeric structures for applications in drug delivery and wound healing. This talk will highlight the design rationale of some of these biomaterials and focus on how we understand the structure-function relationship between the materials and their application.

Bio:

Dr. Briana L. Simms is an organic polymer chemist with a background in biochemistry, materials science, polymer synthesis, and biomedical engineering. She obtained her B.S. in Biochemistry at the Xavier University of Louisiana, her Ph.D. in Chemistry at the University of Mississippi, and completed her post-doctoral fellowship at Duke University in Biomedical Engineering. 

As an undergraduate student, she was a PREM/NASA Research Scholar (Partnership for Research and Education in Materials Science & National Aeronautics and Space Administration), where she focused on the design and synthesis of novel biomaterials for wound healing applications. While completing her Ph.D., she gained significant interest in both STEM education and public health which launched her entrepreneurial ventures in both of these fields (started two companies). Additionally, she was very involved in the student governance associations both at the graduate level and the university level. With the goal enhance her skills through a post-doctoral fellowship, Dr. Simms became a fellow with the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NIH-NINDS) and focused on the design, synthesis, and characterization of novel biomaterials for the treatment of stroke and improving motor function in people who have suffered from stroke. In addition to research, Dr. Simms was proudly the 2022-2023 President of the Duke University Post-doc Association, a Preparing Future Faculty Fellow and awardee of the Maclin Community Engagement Grant. 

Now, as a tenure-track faculty member in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Cincinnati, Dr. Simms is focusing on addressing public health challenges right at the benchtop. Starting in 2023, the Simms Lab of Functional Biomaterials began focusing on the development of biomaterials for the treatment and prevention of skin-related disorders such as melanoma, vitiligo and creating materials for sunless tanning applications. Her goal is to move biomaterials from the benchtop and into the communities that need them most, all while inspiring the next generation of STEM scholars.