Gu, Frank - University of Waterloo - Department of Chemical Engineering

个人简介

Frank Gu is a Chemical Engineering Associate Professor at the University of Waterloo and is also the Canada Research Chair in Nanotechnology Engineering. Professor Gu heads an interdisciplinary research group that combines functional polymers and polymer metal oxide materials to solve problems in medicine, agriculture and environmental protection. Professor Gu’s lab specializes in the development of self-assembled polymeric nanoparticles for the delivery of conventional small molecule therapeutic agents. The research strives to improve the therapeutic index of currently available drugs by optimizing their efficacy and toxicity. They are exploring treatment administration methods and plan to package the treatment in customized nanoparticles that bind to the eye mucus membranes, while the centre of the nanoparticle is designed to trap the drug so that it stays on the eye for as long as a week. The applications are for glaucoma treatment, dry eye syndrome, allergy and bacterial infections of the eye. Professor Gu’s lab also specializes in developing photocatalytic nanomaterials for environmental applications. Photocatalysis is an extremely powerful advanced oxidation process (AOP) which can utilize sunlight to drive treatment of surface waters, with the potential to address a broad spectrum of organic contaminants. Nanotechnology has great potential to address environmental issues, as nanostructuring offers access to new material properties, while high specific surface areas lead to exceptional treatment activity and efficiency. Gu’s lab recently demonstrated the potential of photocatalysis to completely remove toxic compounds from industrial wastewater, where the advantages of this process are easy scalability and the ability to recycle the catalyst for multiple uses. Effective nanoparticle recovery following treatment has previously been a roadblock to large-scale implementation of photocatalysis, but the team have developed innovative nanoengineering solutions to address this challenge. An innovative biodegradable device is also another application designed by Professor Gu and his team for Advanced Targeted Delivery Systems. This device targets plant roots and provides what is essential to them, be it water, nutrients or other bioactive materials. The biodegradable device does not generate water itself, however it can store and release it when needed. By targeting the root system of plants, the current cost and practice of fertilization water spreading into lakes can be avoided. Yet another interesting feature of the device is the fact that it decomposes when its purpose is served, thus exemplifying sustainable agriculture. Professor Gu’s nanoparticle developing research has resulted in over 150 scientific publications in peer reviewed journals and conference proceedings, as well as over 20 US and world patent applications.

研究领域

Nanotechnology and nanomedicine Biomaterials Biosensor and diagnostics Targeted drug delivery systems Glaucoma and blindness Corneal infection and allergy treatment Ophthalmic care Biomarkers detection Point of care diagnosis Photocatalysts Drinking water treatment Waste water treatment

近期论文

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Dhar, S., Gu, F., Langer, R., Farokhzad, O., Lippard, S. (2008) Targeted delivery of cisplatin to prostate cancer cells by aptamer functionalized Pt(IV) prodrug-PLGA–PEG nanoparticles. Proceeding to the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 105( 45), 2008, 7356 – 7361. Karnik, R*., Gu, F*., Basto, P., Cannizzaro, C., Dean, L., Kyei-Manu, W. , Farokhzad, O., Langer, R. (2008) Synthesis of Poly(lactide-co-glycolide)-b-Poly(ethyleneglycol) nanoparticles using hydrodynamic flow focusing. Nano Letters. 8(9):2906-2912. Gu, F., Zhang, L., Teply, B., Mann, N., Wang, A., Radovic-Moreno, A., Langer, R., Farokhzad, O. (2008) Self assembly of precisely engineered targeted nanoparticles for screening optimal nanoparticle formulations in vitro and in vivo. Proceeding to the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 105(7):2586-2591. Gu, F., Karnik, R., Wang, A., Alexis, F., Levy-Nissenbaum, E., Hong, SP., Langer, R., Farokhzad, OC. (2007) Development of targeted nanoparticles for cancer therapy. Nano Today. 2(3):14-20. Gu, F., Neufeld, R., Amsden, B. (2007) Near Zero order release of bioactive cytokines from a biodegradable elastomer: influence of geometry and elastomer mechanical properties. Journal of Controlled Release. 117(1):80-9. Gu, F., Amsden, B., Neufeld, R. (2004) Sustained release of vascular endothelial growth factor from alginate beads. Journal Controlled Release. 96 (3):463-472. Chan T, Gu F. Development of a colorimetric, superparamagnetic biosensor for the capture and detection of biomolecules. Biosens Bioelectron. 2012 Oct 10;42C:12-16. Liu S, Jones L, Gu FX. Development of Mucoadhesive Drug Delivery System Using Phenylboronic Acid Functionalized Poly(D,L-lactide)-b-Dextran Nanoparticles. Macromol Biosci. 2012 Dec;12(12):1622-6. Leshuk T, Linley S, Baxter G, Gu F. Mesoporous Hollow Sphere Titanium Dioxide Photocatalysts through Hydrothermal Silica Etching. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2012 Nov 28;4(11):6062-70. Rosen JE, Chan L, Shieh DB, Gu FX. Iron oxide nanoparticles for targeted cancer imaging and diagnostics. Nanomedicine. 2012 Apr;8(3):275-90. Rosen JE, Gu FX. Surface functionalization of silica nanoparticles with cysteine: a low-fouling zwitterionic surface. Langmuir. 2011 Sep 6;27(17):10507-13.