Chemistry Faculty:
Yan Geng, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Phone: 706-542-1933
E-mail: ygeng@chem.uga.edu
Biographical Information
Assistant Professor, University of Georgia, 2006- present
Post-Doc Fellow, University of Pennsylvania, 2003 -2006
Ph.D. Rutgers University, 2003
B.S. University of Science and Technology of China, 1998
Research Interests
My research interests focus on macromolecular self-assemblies per se and their interactions with biology, with an eye towards biomedical applications. Molecular (surfactants, lipids, polymers, biopolymers) self-assemblies in general are fascinating systems, in a sense that they not only raise fundamental questions on nano-/micro- scale structure formation, thermodynamics & dynamics of the association & dissociation processes, but also are functional materials for various traditional and advanced applications. In my group, by exploiting polymerization techniques as synthetic tools, we seek to develop macromolecules (polymers, dendrimers, polymer-peptide hybrids) that are able to self-assemble into sophisticated bio-inspired structures. A variety of techniques, e.g. Fluorecent Microscope, cryo-Transmission Electron Microscope, Micropipette, Light Scattering, AFM, will be used to characterize the self-assembly structures and pathways. By manipulating the chemistry, morphology and mechanical properties, macromolecular assemblies can serve as model biological structures (e.g. artificial virus, extracellular matrix), and by studying how they interact with cells (primarily cancer cells and stem cells), we aim to explore macromolecular assemblies for gene delivery and stem cell therapy, and perhaps also gain insights into fundamental cellular processes: endocytosis, signal transduction, transcription and differentiation. Current projects include: Superstructures and higher-hierarchy macromolecular self-assemblies, Self-assemblies from “artificial protein” dendrimers, DNA mediated macromolecular self-assemblies, Macromolecular self-assemblies as artificial viral vector for gene delivery, Macromolecular self-assemblies influencing stem cell differentiations.
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Selected Publications
“Soft filaments persist in the Circulation - implications for Drug
Delivery Vehicles and filamentous Viruses such as H5N1 ” Yan Geng,
Paul Dalhaimer, Peter Photos, Dennis Discher, Nature, under revision
“Short Peptide Grafts onto Polybutadiene-block-poly(ethylene oxide): A New Platform for Self-assemblying Hybrid Amphiphiles” Yan Geng,* Justyna Justysca, Dennis Discher, Helmut Schlaad*, Angew. Chemie., submitted (* co-correspondence author)
“Hydrolytic Degradation of Poly(ethylene oxide)-block-Polycaprolactone Worm Micelles” Yan Geng and Dennis Discher, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127 (37), 12780-12781
“Visualizing Worm Micelle Dynamics and Phase Transitions of a Charged
Diblock Copolymer in Water”, Yan Geng, Fariyal Ahmed, Nishant Basil,
Dennis Discher, J. Phys. Chem. B 2005,109 (9), 3772-3779.
“Specific Ion-Pairing and Interfacial Hydration as Controlling Factors in Gemini Micelle Morphology by Chemical Trapping Studies” Yan Geng, Laurence Romsted and Fred Menger, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128 (2): 492-501
“A Novel Mild Route To Nanocrystalline Selenides At Room Temperature”, Wenzhong Wang, Yan Geng, Ping Yan, Fuyu Liu, Yi Xie and Yitai Qian , J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1999, 121(16), 4062-4063.