Donald A. Tomalia, Ph.D.
Dendrimer-Based Nanomedicine: Its Impact on Biology, Pharma Delivery, MRI Imaging and Polyvalent/Targeted Therapies

Considering the importance of nanoscale structures, dimensions and recognition events associated with proteins, DNA, antibody-antigen complexes, viral particles, to mention a few, it is safe to make the following statement: “The positive management of human health, disease and longevity will likely be determined/controlled by a deeper understanding of critical parameters in the nano-length scale domain (i.e., Nanomedicine).”

This theme will be used to present the use of precise, synthetic nanostructures (i.e., dendrimers) as critical nanoscale building blocks 1 in a variety of nano-diagnostic, drug delivery 2 and nano-pharma-type applications. Dendrimers are now referred to as “artificial proteins” based on the close scaling/mimicry of their dimensions, shapes and surface chemistries to these biological nanostructures. 3-4 These important nano-scaffolding/nano-container nano-chemistry features have not only allowed the development of well recognized commercial products (i.e., nanodiagnostics (Stratus®, Dade Behring) and nanoscaffolding/ gene vectors (Superfect®, Qiagen)), 5 but also portends the development of many new dendrimer based nanodevices and prototypes for nanomedicine. These possibilities will be overviewed in the lecture.

1. D.A. Tomalia, Prog. Polym. Sci., 30, 294-324 (2005).

2. S. Svenson, D.A. Tomalia, Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, 57, 2106-2129 (2005).

3. D.A. Tomalia, Materials Today, pp. 34-46, March 2005.

4. D.A. Tomalia, B. Huang, D.R. Swanson, H.M. Brothers II, J.W. Klimash, Tetrahedron, 59, 3799-3813 (2003). *Elsevier Award for the 50 most highly cited papers (2003-2006).

5. B. Halford, C & E News, 83(24), pp. 30-36 (2005).

 

Biography:

Dr. Tomalia received his B.A. in chemistry from the University of Michigan and while at The Dow Chemical Company (1962-1990) completed his Ph.D. in physical-organic chemistry from Michigan State University (1968) under the mentorship of Professor Harold Hart. His discovery of the cationic polymerization of 2-oxazolines led to two international industrial research awards (R&D – 100) for creative research in 1978 and 1986. His discovery of dendrimers (dendritic architecture) in 1979 led to a third R&D –100 Award in 1991 and the Leonardo da Vinci Award ( Paris, France) in 1996. He recently received the Society of Polymer Science Japan (SPSJ) Award for Outstanding Achievement in Polymer Science (2003) for discovery of the fourth major macromolecular architectural class, dendritic polymers.

Dr. Donald Tomalia, is a distinguished research scientist and professor at Central Michigan University, co-director of the National Center for Dendrimer Based Nanotechnolgy at CMU.

Dr. Tomalia launched his academic and entrepreneurial ventures after a 25-year management and senior scientist career with The Dow Chemical Company. During that time, he was credited with numerous commercial developments which included Citrucel® (now marketed by GlaxoSmithKline), cationic polymerization of 2-oxazolines and discovery of the fourth major class of macromolecular architecture; namely, “dendritic polymers.” He is the inventor and originator of the term “dendrimers,” and is listed on over 100 U.S. patents and more than 180 peer reviewed publications. Over 150 of these publications are focused on the dendrimer and dendritic polymer field, including a monograph entitled “Dendrimers and Other Dendritic Polymers.”

In 1990, he joined the Michigan Molecular Institute (MMI) as Professor and Director of Nanoscale Chemistry & Architecture (1990-99). Dendritech, Inc., the first commercial producer of dendrimers, was co-founded by Dr. Tomalia in 1992 after which he was named founding President and Chief Scientist (1992-2000). He became V.P. of Technology for MMI (1998-2000) while simultaneously serving as Scientific Director for the Biologic Nanotechnology Center, University Michigan Medical School (1998-2000).

Dr. Tomalia was recently appointed scientific director of the National Dendrimer & Nanotechnology Center located on the Central Michigan Campus (2004). Presently, Dr. Tomalia is the DNT Principal Investigator in the Massachusetts Institute for Technology/Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies (MIT/ISN) (2003). Other positions currently held by Dr. Tomalia include Distinguished Visiting Professor ( Columbia University) and Distinguished Research Scientist/Professor ( Central Michigan University): Chairman - External Peer Review Panel for Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) “Nanotechnology White Paper” (2006), Washington, D.C.

He is listed as the inventor of over 110 U.S. patents and is author/coauthor of more than 200 peer-reviewed publications. Over 170 papers are focused in the dendrimer/dendritic polymer field, including a monograph entitled “Dendrimers and Other Dendritic Polymers” (J. Wiley) co-edited with J.M.J. Fréchet (2001). Dr. Tomalia serves on the editorial advisory board of Bioconjugate Chemistry (1999-) and is a founding member of the editorial advisory board for NanoLetters (2000-2004).