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DR. MATTHEW L. BECKER
Professor of Polymer Science & Biomedical Engineering
Polymers, Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine
Research Interests:
The Becker Laboratory for Functional Biomaterials focuses
on developing new chemical methods and polymeric
materials that provide translationally-relevant solutions to
unmet medical needs. The Becker Groups works in the
areas of hydrogels, degradable polymers, nanofibers, protein
preservation, 3D printing and advanced manufacturing. The
knowledge gained from these studies impacts numerous
areas in biomaterials, regenerative medicine (bone and
nerve), and the detection of disease states.
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Department of
Polymer Science
The University of Akron,
OH (330) 972-2834
[email protected]
www.uakron.edu/polymerscience/becker/
Biography: Dr. Becker is a Professor in the
Departments of Polymer Science and
Biomedical Engineering at The University of
Akron.
His multi-disciplinary research
group focuses on synthesizing highly
functional polymers and biomaterials for
regenerative medicine applications. He is
also the Co-Director of the Akron
Functional Materials Center.
Prior to joining UA, Dr. Becker was an NRC
postdoctoral fellow and project leader in the
Polymers Division of the National Institute
of Standards and Technology (NIST). Dr.
Becker received his PhD in Organic
Chemistry in 2003 from Washington
University in St. Louis under the
supervision of Professor Karen L. Wooley
where he was an NIH Chemistry-Biology
Interface Fellow. He received his BS in
Chemistry in 1998 from Northwest Missouri
State University.
Industrial Sector Focus:
Organic and Polymer Chemistry
3D Printing & Advanced Manufacturing
Regenerative Medicine
Diagnostics and Molecular Diagnostics
Unique Laboratory Facilities:
Class II biosafety cell culture facility
Roll to Roll electrospinning Unit w/ wet chemistry
SkyScan 100 keV Small Animal uCT
Imaging Surface Plasmon Resonance
CEM Automated Peptide Synthesis & Purification
Recent Publications/Patents:
1) W Tang, GM Policastro, G Hua, F Lin, G Hua, C
Wesdemiotis, GL Doll, ML Becker* Bioactive OGPfunctionalized catechol dendrons with strong binding affinity
to oxide surfaces. J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 2014, 136, 1635716367.
2) W Tang, ML Becker* “Click” Reactions: a Versatile
Toolbox for the Synthesis of Peptide Conjugates. Chem.
Soc. Rev. 2014 43(20), 7013-7039.
3) J Yu, F Lin, P Lin, Y Gao, ML Becker* “Phenylalaninebased Poly(ester urea): Synthesis, Characterization and in
vitro Degradation” Macromolecules 2014, 47(1),121-129.
4) F Lin, J Yu, W Tang, J Zheng, A Defante, K Guo, C
Wesdemiotis, ML Becker* “Peptide Functionalized Oxime
Hydrogels with Tunable Mechanical Properties and Gelation
Behavior” Biomacromolecules 2013, 34, 9089-9095.
5) LA Smith Callahan, S Xie, I Barker, J Zheng, DH Reneker,
AP Dove, ML Becker* “Accelerated Differentiation and
Neurite Extension of mESC on Aligned Poly(lactide)
Nanofibers Functionalized with YIGSR” Biomaterials, 2013,
34, 9089-9095.