M.G. Finn

We introduce a new class of enzyme-derived polymer brush with extraordinary thickness and regenerative capacity. The brush fabrication leverages the rapid, processive polymerization kinetics of hyaluronan synthase in order to generate hyaluronan brushes with heights reaching up to 25 μm…

Many researchers are developing polymers beyond traditional plastics or elastomers but are also sustainable…

Industrial scale hydrocarbon separations, such as petroleum refining, expend an incredible amount of energy during purification. Membrane-based separations are a promising alternative purification technology because they require ~10x less energy to operate than thermal distillation…

Organic solvent separations, which are commonly used in the chemical, petrochemical, and pharmaceutical industries, are energy-intensive processes…

Limited treatment options for cancer patients continue to result in poor therapeutic outcomes. Cancer immunotherapies, which leverage a patient’s own immune system to combat cancer, have shown promise as a new class of cancer treatment…

Polymer networks with dynamic covalent bonds, known as vitrimers, have garnered significant attention for their reprocessability. The incorporation of highly tunable silica particles not only enhances mechanical properties but enables diverse chemical reactions on polymer-particle interfaces…

Natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) power plants are more energy efficient than their coal counterparts, and NGCC can be combined with CO2 capture to further reduce emissions…

Biological molecules, such as proteins and protein assemblies, are predominantly delivered via injection, making repeated dosing challenging due to issues of accessibility, patient compliance, and safety…

Conjugate additions of thiols to electron-deficient C-C multiple bonds is a venerable and widely employed example of click chemistry. Such Michael reactions are particularly useful for bioconjugation, attested by the ubiquity of the maleimide linkage…

Click and clip chemistry are two halves of the same powerful coin, endowing the molecular engineer with the ability to make and remodel bulk materials and surfaces in response to changing conditions or time…

Injectable hydrogels have emerged as a promising method for delivering monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapeutics, particularly for managing chronic autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, as well as cancer…

Molecular adjuvants improve conjugate vaccines by activating the innate and adaptive immune system. Effective formulations often feature antigen and adjuvant delivery to the lymph nodes, which is accomplished in our lab and others using virus-like particles (VLPs)…

The Direct Air Capture (DAC) of atmospheric carbon dioxide can play a pivotal role in reaching Net Zero carbon emissions. For DAC systems to be viable at a global scale, sorbents must demonstrate high CO2 selectivity, capacity, and energy efficiency…