0003794P BMCE Invite.indd - Phillip B. Messersmith Research Group

Thanks to the generous support of Ann McComber Stevenson
(Nursing ‘52) and Trustee Emeritus Milton F. Stevenson III (Chemical
Engineering ‘53), each semester the Stevenson Biomaterials Lecture
Series brings pioneering biomaterials researchers to the Syracuse
University campus. Presenters are selected based on their leading roles in
biomaterials research, and are asked to speak on their latest endeavors. In
addition, Stevenson Lecturers visit with faculty and students to exchange
ideas, build bridges, and become familiar with the broad range of
biomaterials activities at Syracuse University.
Cordially invites you to attend the
Stevenson Biomaterials
Lecture Series
presentation
Biological Adhesives and
Biomimetic Polymers: Things that
Stick and Sticking to Things
The Stevensons also generously endowed a professorship in 2006 to
encourage leadership at the interface of chemical and biomedical
engineering, triggering excitement on campus in the interdisciplinary
field of biomaterials. Milton Stevenson is founding president of locallyowned
Anoplate Inc., one of the largest and most respected metal
finishing companies in the United States. The Stevensons are actively
involved in many campus and regional activities and are proud to
contribute to Syracuse University’s mission of Scholarship in Action.
For further information, contact Karen Low at
Syracuse Biomaterials Institute
L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science
Biomedical and Chemical Engineering
121 Link Hall, Syracuse, NY 13244
315-443-3544 or kplow@syr.edu
with Guest Speaker
Philip B. Messersmith
Professor of Biomedical Engineering and
Materials Science and Engineering
Institute for Bionanotechnology in Medicine
Northwestern University
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Noon to 2 p.m.
Room 500, Hall of Languages
Meet and Greet begins at 11:45 a.m., with luncheon to follow.
Luncheon R.S.V.P. by November 10 to kplow@syr.edu or 443-3544.

The Speaker
Biological Adhesives and
Biomimetic Polymers: Things that
Stick and Sticking to Things
Phillip B. Messersmith, Ph.D., is a professor of biomedical engineering and
materials science and engineering at Northwestern University. He earned a
B.S. degree in life sciences in 1985 and a Ph.D. degree in materials science and
engineering in 1993, both from the University of Illinois at Urbana. Before coming
to Northwestern University, Messersmith was a postdoctoral fellow at Cornell
University, and was a faculty member at the University of Illinois at Chicago
(1994-1997). Messersmith’s research interests include biological adhesion,
bioinspired synthesis of materials, polymeric biomaterials, tissue engineering,
biomineralization, self-assembly, and nanostructured materials. Current research
projects include studies of biological adhesives, including mussel adhesive
proteins and gecko adhesives, the design of biomimetic adhesive polymers,
development of novel biomaterials for regenerative medicine, and antifouling
polymer surfaces. His awards and honors include young investigator awards from
the Whitaker Foundation and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and a MERIT
award from the NIH. Messersmith is a fellow of the American Institute for Medical
and Biological Engineering and a member of the editorial boards of Soft Matter,
Nanomedicine, Biointerphases, and Biomedical Materials.
Phillip B. Messersmith, Ph.D.
Professor of Biomedical Engineering and
Materials Science and Engineering
Institute for Bionanotechnology in Medicine
Northwestern University
In nature there exist a great variety of interesting adhesive strategies that
operate in wet and dry environments and that can serve to inspire the
development of new materials. Marine mussels, for example, have evolved
sophisticated protein glues that serve to securely immobilize the organism
on rocks and such man-made structures as piers and ship hulls. The proteins
found in these glues have specialized amino acid compositions, undoubtedly
related to the particular challenges of achieving permanent adhesion in the
wet marine environment. In contrast, geckos achieve temporary adhesion
in dry environments using rather ordinary keratin (hair) proteins, taking
advantage of weak transient chemical interactions with surfaces. In this talk,
I will focus on these two remarkable but contrasting adhesive strategies,
and illustrate how they can inspire the development of novel synthetic
functional materials.