Speaker
Jia Niu, Ph.D.
Speaker's Institution
Boston College
Date
2022-09-02
Time
4:00 PM
Location
Chemistry A101
Mixer Time
3:45pm
Mixer Time
Chemistry B101E
Calendar (ICS) Event
Additional Information

Seminar Abstract

Macromolecules are ubiquitous in life and in human society. A long-term goal of our research group is to develop novel synthetic macromolecules that are degradable, derived from sustainable resources, possess a circular life cycle, or can serve as functional probes in biological investigations. In this seminar, I will discuss new strategies that enable precise control over the architecture, sequence, and microstructures of main-chain polymers, such as vinyl polymers with degradable main-chain groups and synthetic polysaccharides. Taken together, we hope these efforts will enable the synthesis and applications of novel main-chain polymers with tailor-made properties for a sustainable future.

About the Speaker

Jia Niu is an assistant professor of chemistry in Boston College. Jia obtained a B.S. degree (2005) and a M.S. degree (2008) from Tsinghua University in China. He then moved to the United States to pursue a PhD degree at Harvard University, working with Professor David R. Liu on the enzyme-free translation and directed evolution of synthetic polymers. After working as a postdoctoral scholar in the laboratories of Professor Craig Hawker and Professor Tom Soh at University of California, Santa Barbara, Jia joined the faculty of Boston College in 2017. Currently, Jia and his group are focused on developing sustainable plastics using biobased building blocks, understanding functional roles of sulfation patterns in bioactive macromolecules, and the directed evolution of genome editors. Jia is a recipient of ACS PMSE Young Investigator Award (2021), NSF CAREER Award (2020), NIH Director’s New Innovator Award (2019), and the Beckman Young Investigator Award (2019).