2006-2007 MIE-STEM Faculty Mini-Grants Recipient

“Reaction Rate Determination of PAMAM Dendrimer-Small Molecule
Conjugation: Improving the Efficiency of Chemotherapeutic Nanodivice Synthesis”

Dr. Stassi DiMaggio
Chemistry

Student Assistants (Left to Right)
Danielle Matthews, Katherine Byrd, Jeffery Brown, and Ian Woods

Abstract

Dendrimers, synthetic organic star-branched polymers, have recently been successfully conjugated to various small molecules used as targeting agents, imaging agents and chemotherapy drugs to create multifunctional anti-tumor nanotherapeutic.
We aim to determine the reaction rate of various dendrimer-small molecule conjugation reactions.  Upon successful completion, we aim to apply our skills towards the syntheses of novel nanotherapeutics currently being developed through a collaborative project with the University of Michigan.