The Alabi Lab @ Cornell University
Sequence-defined Polymers
Researchers: Dana Abdullatif, Souvik Ghosal and Meghna Bajaj
Sequence-defined Oligothioetheramide (OligoTEA)
Sequence-structure relationships can help guide the design of functional macromolecules for drug discovery. In this research thrust, we are interested in efficient assembly schemes for creating sequence-defined polymers. We've successfully developed a strategy for the assembly of sequence-defined oligothioetheramides (oligoTEAs). We are currently working to formulate sequence-structure-function relationships and molecular design rules for their use in biological applications. By understanding and controlling the relationship between their chemical functionalities, structure, and interaction with the biological mileu, these novel synthetic constructs can be tuned to perform advanced functions such as transversing the cell membrane barrier, serving as linkers for drug conjugates, and selective disruption of bacterial membranes.
Sequence-defined Oligocarbamate (SeDOC)
Precise sequence and structural control is critical to the development of new functional, responsive and programmable polymeric materials. However, attempts to synthesize unimolecular polymers and precise networks with well-defined sequences are hampered by scale-up limitations. These limitations in scale-up have left research into the impact of sequence on materials largely underexplored. Motivated by these opportunities and the need for sequence-control and structural diversity in polymeric materials research, we have developed a versatile strategy for the assembly of sustainable cross-linkable sequence-defined macromolecules. This new synthetic functional oligocarbamate platform overcomes the scalability issue that plagues the iterative assembly of sequence-defined macromolecules and enables the assembly of oligocarbamate macromers at the gram-scale. Work in this area is done as part of the Center for Sustainable Polymers (CSP) at the University of Minnesota. Please click here for more details on this joint effort.
Researchers: Kenton Weigel and Adithya Rangamani