The Schiffman Lab aims to elucidate and employ the materials properties of renewable
biopolymers and bioactive products for the sustainable synthesis of novel nanostructures.
Polymers derived from natural sources have inherent qualities that make them superior to
synthetic polymers. They are antibacterial, biodegradable, biocompatible, chelate ions,
and have coagulation capabilities. Natural products, like plant derivatives exhibit
wide-spectrum antimicrobial activity. By analyzing the chemistry, processability, and
biological functionality of these agents we are able to engineer and characterize devices
that address public health concerns in biomedical and environmental fields. Currently,
applications of interest include antibiofilm coatings, nanofiber scaffolds for wound
healing, as well as membranes that selectively remove contaminants. Our research is
interdisciplinary in nature, drawing influences from chemical engineering, materials
science engineering, environmental engineering, and microbiology.

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Nanofibers in thin-filmcompositemembranesupport layers: Enablingexpandedapplication of forward and pressureretardedosmosis (with Laura A. Hoover and Menachem Elimelech), Desalination (2013)

Re-engineering the support layers of membranes for forward and pressure retarded osmosis is critical for...

 

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Nanomanufacturing of biomaterials (with Yoni Engel, Julie M. Goddard, and Vincent M. Rotello), Materials Today (2012)

In this review, we present a few of the many important objectives in the area...

 

Biodegradable Polymer (PLGA) Coatings Featuring Cinnamaldehyde and Carvacrol Mitigate Biofilm Formation (with Katherine R. Zodrow and Menachem Elimelech), Langmuir (2012)

Biofilm-associated infections are one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Although...

 

Electrospinning of hyaluronic acid nanofibers from aqueous ammonium solutions (with Eric K. Brenner, Ebony A. Thompson, Laura J. Toth, and Caroline L. Schauer), Carbohydrate Polymers (2012)

For several reasons, the electrospinning of nanofibrous mats comprised purely of biopolymers, such as hyaluronic...

 

Biocidal Activity of Plasma Modified Electrospun Polysulfone Mats Functionalized with Polyethyleneimine-Capped Silver Nanoparticles (with Yue Wang, Emmanuel P. Giannelis, and Menachem Elimelech), Langmuir (2011)

The incorporation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) into polymeric nanofibers has attracted a great deal of...

 

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