On-chip Oligonucleotide and Peptide Synthesis or The Adventures of a Chemical Engineer in Biology, MEMS and Commercialization

Professor Erdogan Gulari,
Professor of Chemical Engineering,
University of Michigan

ABSTRACT:
Starting with Affymetrix' demonstration and successful commercialization of oligonucleotide microarrays, there has been a lot of interest to develop alternative ways of making microarrays that are of lower cost and higher flexibility. In this talk, we will describe one low-tech method of making MEMS microarrays using the same chemistry used in automated oligonucleotide synthesizers. In addition to the lower cost, the process is simple enough to make every microarray a custom microarray without increasing the cost. Examples of oligonucleotide microarrays, oligopeptide micro arrays, and genes synthesized from on-chip synthesized oligos will be given.

BIO:
Erdogan Gulari received his bachelor of Chemical Engineering degree in Turkey and his PhD from California Institute of Technology in 1973. After working to start new Chemical plants in Turkey for two years, he came back to SUNY Stony Brook in 1976, as a postdoctoral research associate. He joined the U of M Chemical Engineering department as an assistant professor in 1978, and rose through the ranks to become full professor in 1985 and Senior Associate Dean in 1986 for a seven-year period. His research areas have covered complex fluids, environmental catalysis, thin-film deposition, and in the last six years, biotechnology, specifically developing passive MEMS devices for genetic research and diagnostics.

He has won numerous COE and U of M awards and has been an advisor for more than 40 PhD students.