Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Design And Synthesis Of Hyaluronan:Rhamm Interaction Inhibitors, Emily Rodrigues

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

A major component of the extracellular matrix is hyaluronan, a regulator of cell migration/survival and differentiation during response-to-injury processes. The receptor for hyaluronan-mediated motility (RHAMM) binds to HA and has limited constitutive expression but is upregulated during tissue injury. Blocking HA fragment:RHAMM interactions has therapeutic potential for treating cancer but truncation of RHAMM into peptides mimicking only the HA binding domains is predicted to lose their natural α-helical structure. The goal of this project is to explore the effects cyclizing each binding domain has on helicity and its biological effect. Eighteen peptides were synthesized and cyclized using lactam bridges. The …

Controlled Degradation Of Poly(Ester Amide)S Via Cyclization Of Pendant Functional Groups, Jose Samuel Mejia

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Polyesters have been used for many biomedical applications ranging from sutures to drug delivery vehicles. However, their bulk degradation results in an accumulation of acidic byproducts, which is detrimental to the human body. In order to circumvent this problem, as well as to impart new properties and functions to polymers for biomedical applications, poly(ester amide)s (PEAs) have been proposed as a different class of biodegradable polymers. However, up to date, there exists no way to stimulate the degradation of these polymers.

The Gillies research group has previously incorporated self-immolative spacers into polymers and has been able to stimulate their degradation …