Several Army researchers in attendance noted that they are UD alumni, having earned advanced degrees both online and on campus. These strong connections with UD researchers, both those underway and those yet-to-be imagined, will enhance student success across science, mathematics and engineering at all levels of education.

“By combining our expertise with theirs, this is an opportunity to achieve research breakthroughs that neither of us might achieve on our own,” said Greg Peterson, chief scientist for DEVCOM CBC’s Protection Division, who earned his doctoral degree in chemistry at UD in 2021. 

A number of UD faculty presented at the meeting prior to the signing. For instance, April Kloxin, professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, shared how she and Catherine Fromen, Centennial Associate Professor for Excellence in Research and Education in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, are using 3D printed models to understand how pathogens like bacteria can enter the body and the ways that human cells respond to this intrusion. This collaborative work with Priscilla Lee from DEVCOM CBC will allow the researchers to explore ways to mitigate these problems and promote healing. 

Fromen is also working on models to understand the human immune response to aerosols like dust, smoke or other particles, including therapeutic medicines. She is particularly interested in where therapeutics go in the lungs, how they act when they arrive and how the human body responds to them.

Karl Booksh, professor of chemistry and biochemistry, is developing chemical sensors for monitoring environmental, biomedical and industrial processes. In particular, Booksh is interested in using mathematics and statistics to add confidence to this type of sensor data. For the Army, this type of research could support efforts in homeland defense or air quality monitoring.

“Math is cheap. How can we extract the maximum amount of information from data with the minimum amount of effort?” Booksh said.

Meanwhile, Kyle Regan, a doctoral student studying electrical and computer engineering in Gonzalo Arce’s lab, described his team’s work developing techniques that could enable portable aerosol mass spectrometry tools for automatically sampling atmospheric particles to detect biological threats and toxins. 

Nearby, Tatyana Polenova, professor of chemistry and biochemistry, shared her interest in devices that can detect drugs in the body. This work, she said, is useful in understanding things like viruses and small-molecule pharmaceuticals for new drugs but also could apply to detecting very small concentrations of agents that would otherwise be undetectable on surfaces.

The conversation around each area was robust, with Bailey and others asking follow-up questions, noting where there might be overlapping interest and providing UD researchers direct feedback where future connections or conversations were needed.

Garcia-Diaz acknowledged UD Professor Thomas Epps for his role in establishing collaborations with researchers at DEVCOM and bringing the partnership to fruition.

“That work really has been the catalyst for the agreement we’re signing today,” said Garcia-Diaz.

Epps is the Allan and Myra Ferguson Distinguished Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and he serves as director for UD’s Center for Research in Soft Matter and Polymers (CRISP) and UD’s Center for Hybrid, Active and Responsive Materials (CHARM). He also serves as deputy director of the Center for Plastics Innovation (CPI). His research lab focuses on controlling interactions in polymers to create materials with superior properties or characteristics. For example, working with DEVCOM CBC, the Epps lab is exploring ways to use biomass, such as corn stover or other organic waste, to create materials with greater adhesion and toughness, for products including chemical resistant clothing.

According to Robert O’Dea, an associate scientist in the Epps Lab, the team also is advancing recycling techniques for polyurethanes found in common materials, such as kitchen sponges, mattresses and shoe soles. These recycled polyurethanes have the potential to be transformed into coatings for things like trucks, tanks and other equipment. The ability to make these materials more durable and long-lasting would improve the equipment’s lifespan, while the ability to recycle and reuse the polyurethane creates circularity by minimizing waste across the material’s production and use, in a way that maximizes sustainability. 

Culminating the day, Army researchers toured the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL) and learned about its capabilities from NIIMBL Director Kelvin Lee. 

Housed in UD’s Ammon Pinizzotto Biopharmaceutical Innovation Center at STAR Campus, NIIMBL’s mission is to expedite and improve the manufacture of large-molecule medicines made from living cells, including insulin, monoclonal antibodies, cancer medicines, vaccines, cell therapies and gene therapies. 

Participants had the opportunity to see a prototype manufacturing-scale bioreactor for developing buffer solutions used in therapeutic proteins for the treatment or prevention of disease. This mobile device makes it possible to envision and plan toward future capabilities for deploying a bioreactor to manufacture and deliver therapeutics in the field. They also learned about the growing number of educational and training opportunities NIIMBL is developing to prepare the future biomanufacturing workforce, which is a distinct part of the Institute’s mission.