Gary Wnek, PhD
Gary Wnek is the Joseph F. Toot, Jr., Professor of Engineering, Professor of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, and Associate Dean of Academics. Research interests include (1) novel processing approaches for the fabrication of scaffolds for tissue engineering and drug delivery, and the development of nanofiber constructs as models for functional biological systems such as muscle and nerve; (2) development of a versatile platform for collagen processing in the form of nanofibers, gels and foams from ‘benign’ solvent systems, and (3) the study biofilms, a complex mixture of macromolecules that colonies of many types of bacteria and fungi generate and use great advantage for survival, from a macromolecular perspective in an attempt to gain insight on how to effectively defeat biofilm formation and bacterial or fungal cell colony sustenance.
Wnek has co-authored over 160 papers, co-edited 4 books and the Encyclopedia of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, and holds 29 U.S. and 2 European patents. He received the 2007 John W. Hyatt Award (benefit to society) from the Society of Plastics Engineers for his work on polymer nano- and microfibers for regenerative medicine and related biomedical applications.
 Published Work |
