Novel Biopolymers for the Medical Industry

A biological catalyst, known as a polymerase will be used to manufacture new biopolymers. Thestructure-property relationships of these polymers will be determined to identify which new materialsmay be useful in the biomedical industry. Specifically, in the biomedical area these novel biocompatablematerials may be useful in applications such as: controlled drug delivery using microcapsules; nerveregeneration; wound care as sutures and gauzes, surgical aids as anti-adhesion agents; bone plates; and,therapeutic targeting. The research goals involve preparing small organic molecules which may beconverted, by the short-chain polymerase from Zoogloea ramigera into new biomaterials. The latter willsubsequently be characterized. By screening a range of small organic molecules it should be possibleto create many new biodegradable polyesters for the medical industry.