\nTitled \u201cResponsive Block Polymers Using Polypeptides: Bottom-Up Design in Macromolecular Materials,\u201d with Dr. Daniel Savin of the University of Florida F and \u201cEpigenetics: Our Molecular Response to Our Environment,\u201d with Dr. Thomas Yang also of UF, the seminars both drew a crowd of more than 80 people.<\/p>\n
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<\/a>Department of Chemistry, University of Florida<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
A polymer is a large molecule made up of many smaller molecules and can be found in a variety of places, such as adhesive, paper and even our fingernails, among many other things. During his lecture, Dr. Savin discussed his research with polymers, specifically self-assembled polymers and block polymers. Eryn Brennan In Motion staff writer Two recent STEM seminars share a common bond: Research in both polymers and epigenetics have the potential to affect us. Titled \u201cResponsive Block Polymers Using Polypeptides: Bottom-Up Design in Macromolecular Materials,\u201d with Dr. Daniel Savin of the University of Florida F and \u201cEpigenetics: Our Continue reading STEM seminars offer learning opportunities<\/span>
\nDr. Savin explained the various problems with traditional chemotherapy, such as that the \u201cside effects can lead to additional acute and chronic health issues\u201d and that there is \u201cno targeting of specific tissues.\u201d He then went on to detail the ways in which polymers could be used to improve drug delivery in cancer patients.
\n\u201cIt was interesting, I didn\u2019t know what to expect,\u201d said Lindsay Kane, a Health Science major, \u201cI liked how certain structures can affect just the tumor and not the whole body.\u201d
\nEpigenetics, on the other hand, are the \u201cinstructions on how, where and when\u201d the information that DNA provides should be used. According to Dr. Yang, not only can a person\u2019s epigenetics determine their health, it can determine the health of their offspring as well.
\nDr. Yang spoke of the environmental and dietary impacts on our epigenetics, as well as his studies in genomic imprinting and pre-natal ethanol exposure in mice.
\nDr. Savin, who teaches chemistry at UF, got into polymer research because he thought it was interesting. “The research I do has some fundamental questions I want to answer. Questions that you can\u2019t answer in three years.\u201d .
\nAlthough they conduct their research in two different fields of study, both Dr. Savin and Dr. Yang separately said that people who may not be scientifically inclined should still care about polymers and epigenetics because they affect everyone.
\n\u201cPolymers affect every aspect of our lives. It\u2019s plastic, your fingernails, medical stents,\u201d said Dr. Savin, while Dr. Yang echoed that response, saying epigenetics \u201ceffect every single cell in our body.\u201d
\nThe STEM seminars will resume spring semester. For information, contact Dr. Gajendra Tulsian at TulsiaG@daytonastate.edu<\/a> or visit his website at drtulsian.com\/seminars<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"