The Maynard Group


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The Maynard Group performs cutting-edge research on polymer bioconjugates and protein nanoarrays and educates the next generation of researchers and leaders in organic chemistry, polymer science, nanotechnology, and biomedicine.

Latest Publication
Trehalose Glycopolymers for Stabilization of Protein Conjugates to Environmental Stressors

Rock J. Mancini, Juneyoung Lee, and Heather D. Maynard
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2012
DOI: 10.1021/ja2120234 [LINK]

In this paper are reported trehalose side chain polymers for stabilization of protein conjugates to environmental stressors. Polymers containing trehalose pendant groups were prepared via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization using thiol-reactive chain transfer agents for subsequent conjugation to proteins through disulfide linkages. The glycopolymers when added or covalently attached to protein significantly increased stability towards lyophilization and heat relative to wild-type protein. The glycopolymers were compared to equivalent concentrations of trehalose and poly(ethylene glycol) and found to be superior. In addition, the protein-glycopolymer conjugates exhibited significant increases in lyophilization stability when compared to adding the same concentration of unconjugated polymer to the protein. The results show that the polymer is promising as a stabilizer of proteins to environmental stressors as an excipient and conjugate.

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Recent News

February 2012: Juneyoung Lee selected for NIH Biotechnology Traineeship Award
February 2012: Heather gives plenary lecture at the APS meeting in Australia
October 2011: Jeff and Kathy's paper chosen as "Best of Macromolecular Journals of 2011"
August 2011: Heather's image on mosaic cover of Nature Chemistry [LINK]
August 2011: Heather elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry
July 2011: Heather becomes Director of the Chemistry-Biology Interface Training Program
July 2011: Chris Kolodziej obtains his Ph.D and starts job at Eviva.
July 2011: Zach Tolstyka obtains his Ph.D and starts postdoc at University of Minnesota.

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Group Photo, Summer 2011