Welcome to the Polymeric Biomaterials Group at the University of Potsdam

Polymeric Biomaterials Group

Photo: MHartlieb

We are designing polymeric materials for the use in biomedical applications. In particularly , we are interested in antimicrobial polymers as they are a possible solution to the ever increasing issue of antimicrobial resistance. To create more efficient and selective materials, we are using various tool of polymer chemistry including RAFT-polymerization, ROMP, Cationic ring-opening polymerization, and supramolecular polymerization. We have a specific interest in how the polymeric architecture influences the biological activity of these biomaterials. ...more

Photo: MHartlieb

Stop motion video representing our research on antimicrobial polymers

Alains Poster Presentation on Membrane Interaction of Antimicrobial Bottle Brushes

Alain Bapolisi introduces his poster (Makro@Freiburg) and explains his work on the investigation of the interaction of antimicrobial polymers and membrane models such as liposomes.

News

Poster Award for Anahita in Dresden

Congratulations to Anahita who won Best Poster Award at the "52nd Biennial Assembly of the German Colloid Society” in Dresden. She presented her first results on plasmonic RAFT polymerization which is part of the efforts in CRC 1636.

Research Awards for Polybio Group

Matthias is awarded with the Reimund-Stadler Award of the Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker (GDCh). Together with Hatice Mutlu he also receives the Herrmann Schnell-Stipendium of the GDCh. Both prices will be awarded at the Makro 2024 in Dresden in September, and recognize and highlight the research of the PolyBio team in the areas of antimicrobial polymers and photo polymerization.

Tag der Wissenschaften 24

The polybio team in cooperation with the group of Johannes Gurke represented the Institute of Chemistry at this years "Tag der Wissenschaften" in Potsdam. Aspiring Scientists could create a design in Minecraft® which was the 3D-printed for them to take it home. Many more were interested in chemistry and our work and discussed with us at our exhibition.

Matthias receives the Reimund-Stadler-Award 2024

Matthias was successful at the young talents workshop of the German Chemical Society (GDCh), which this year was hosted by Freudenderg in Weinheim. The Division of Macromolecular Chemistry holds this workshop biannually to choose the recipient of the Reimund-Stadler-Award (https://en.gdch.de/network-structures/gdch-structures/macromolecular-chemistry/preise-ehrungen/awards-honors.html) among upcoming talents in polymer sciences. Matthias presentation about photo polymerizations and antimicrobial polymers was recognized to be outstanding by the Board of the Division. Additionally, the division awarded Olga Koshkina (University of Twente) and Oleksandr Dolynchuk (MLU Halle) the young talent scholarship. The Awardee will be presented at the division conference in 2024 in Dresden and is endowed with a prize money of 5000€.

Just granted: DFG Project on Gene Delivery

The DFG is funding our research on the development of virus-like gene carriers based on bottle brush copolymers. This will be a cooperation with the group of Hendrik Fuchs at Charite Berlin. If you are intrested in doing a PhD thesis in gene delivery either on the polymer chemistry site (Potsdam) or on the biochemical and biological site (Charite) please contact Matthias Hartlieb.

Team PolyBio @Potsdam Tag der Wissenschaften

Our team in cooperation with Johannes Gurke presented 3D-printing and photo polymerization at the "Tag der Wissenschaften" 2023 in Potsdam. Visitors could build a design in Minecraft®, which was then printed by Bob. In the meantime, guests could mix chemicals for a photopolymerization and learn what reactions happen inside the 3D-printer. Great fun for old and young!

New paper on (X)PI-RAFT polymerization

Annes recent work on photo-RAFT is featured in Chemical Science. By mixing two chain transfer agents the merits of both are combined resulting in a fast, effcient and easy-to use photo polymerization. We use an iPad falshlight for polymerization and produce multiblock copolymers in a coffe mug under open to air conditions. Find out more under:

Chem. Sci., 2022, DOI: 10.1039/D2SC05197D. (open access)

Poster Award for Alain

Congratulations to Alain who won Best Poster Award at the "Dynamic Hydrogel Symposium" at FU-Berlin. He presented the work from his recent paper about membrane interaction of antimicrobial bottle brushes

Macro. Rapid Comm.,2022, 43, 2200288

New Paper on PI-RAFT Polymerization

Annes work on PI-RAFT Polymerization was published in Polymer Chemistry. We show the impressive livingness of the method by producing complex multiblock architectures. The synthesis of an ikosablock copolymer was performed using a straightforward methodology and non-speciallized equipment. the work is highlighted in the Emerging Investigator Series of Polymer Chemistry.

The report is paper of the month in Polymer Chemistry

Polym. Chem., 2022, 13, 1537 - 1546

Master Thesis Defense

Congratulations to Anne Lehnen for very successfully defending her master thesis about antimicrobial polymers in solution and on surfaces. Anne will continue working in the group as a PhD student.

First PhD Students in the Group

A warm welcome to our new group members: Ahmad AlSawaf (l) and Alain Bapolisi (r) just started their PhD research. Ahmad will create supramolecular antimicrobial polymers using ring-opening polymerization and RAFT polymerization. Alain will teach polymer how to select specific bacteria and also work on polymersomes!

DFG - Emmy Noether research group granted

For the next 6 years our research on the development of antimicrobial polymers will be funded by the Emmy Noether program of the DFG with approximately 1.5 Mio €. Starting in January 2021 we want to find out more about the impact of polymer morphology, segmentation, and various targeting strategies on the performance of covalent and supramolecular bactericidal polymers.

First Paper from the group published

First Paper from the group in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces based on an excellent master thesis by Sophie Laroque. We show the great potential of bottle brush architectures for antimicrobial polymers with increased selectivity for bacteria and how self-assembly can influence their activity. Thanks a lot to our cooperation partners at Fraunhofer IAP and Fraunhofer IZI-BB.

Interview about Antimicrobial Polymers

Interview with Matthias Hartlieb highlighting the importance of research tackling antimicrobial resistance.

"Seit April 2019 forscht Dr. Matthias Hartlieb als Postdoc im Open-Topic-Programm der Universität Potsdam zu antimikrobiellen Polymeren – also chemischen Stoffen, die Mikroorganismen wie Bakterien zerstören und insbesondere im Gesundheitssektor gefragt sind. Unter dem gegenwärtigen Einfluss des Corona-Virus gewinnt seine Forschung besondere Relevanz, auch wenn bakterielle Erreger für ihn im Fokus stehen."... mehr