Novel Bioprocess for Polymer Synthesis and Assembly of New Materials.

Abstract : The theme and purpose of the grant research was to investigate a number of new ways in which biological processes could be utilized to create new polymeric materials. In the various funded subsections of the grant, there were a number of separate areas of investigation, each studied by a cluster of investigators. The individual areas were: (1) Synthesis and characterization of polymeric materials enzymatically and chemically, incorporating biological macromolecules, in thin film formats to create biosensors and biomaterials; (2) Chemical and enzymatic biopolymer growth and modification; (3) Biopolymer process engineering of N-acylchitosan derivatives; (4) Organic thin films used as templates for bioceramic growth; and (5) Enzymatic regioselectivity transesterification of polysaccharides.