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Russell J. Stewart

Russell J. Stewart

Associate Professor
PhD, 1989 Biochemistry
University of California, Santa Barbara

E-mail:

http://www.bioen.utah.edu/faculty/RJS/LabSite

Phone: 801-581-8581
Office: 506C BPRB<

Lab

Molecular Bioengineering Laboratory

Research

Biomimetic surgical adhesives, natural bioadhesives, protein cross-linking and surface immobilization, tyrosine chemistry

Current Research

We study a natural protein-based adhesive as a model for developing new synthetic polymer-based medical adhesives. Phragmatopoma californica is a marine polychaete that glues bits of sand and seashells together into a protective tubular shell while fully submerged in cold seawater. Its remarkable underwater adhesive is a water-born composition of several proteins and divalent cations. The setting reaction, which occurs within 30 sec, is probably triggered by a pH change when the glue is secreted into seawater. Investigation of the structure, composition, and bonding mechanisms of the natural adhesive has provided a foundation for a unique approach to developing water-based synthetic medical adhesives. We have copied key features of the natural adhesive into synthetic polymeric adhesives that are currently being tested for repairing bone fractures. This is a multi-disciplinary research project involving polymer synthesis and characterization, materials testing, and biocompatibility/biodegradation studies in a living animal model.

Selected Publications

Shao H, Bachus KN, Stewart RJ, A water-borne adhesive modeled after the sandcastle glue of P. californica. Macromol Biosci 2009 May 13;9(5):464-71

Stevens MJ, Steren RE, Hlady V, Stewart RJ, Multiscale structure of the underwater adhesive of Phragmatopoma californica: a nanostructured latex with a steep microporosity gradient. Langmuir 2007 Apr 24;23(9):5045-9

Endrizzi BJ, Huang G, Kiser PF, Stewart RJ, Specific covalent immobilization of proteins through dityrosine cross-links. Langmuir 2006 Dec 19;22(26):11305-10

Stayner RS, Min DJ, Kiser PF, Stewart RJ, Site-specific cross-linking of proteins through tyrosine hexahistidine tags. Bioconjug Chem 2005 Nov-Dec;16(6):1617-23

Stewart RJ, Weaver JC, Morse DE, Waite JH, The tube cement of Phragmatopoma californica: a solid foam. J Exp Biol 2004 Dec;207(Pt 26):4727-34

Tang A, Wang C, Stewart RJ, Kopecek J, The coiled coils in the design of protein-based constructs: hybrid hydrogels and epitope displays. J Control Release 2001 May 14;72(1-3):57-70

Wang C, Kopecek J, Stewart RJ, Hybrid hydrogels cross-linked by genetically engineered coiled-coil block proteins. Biomacromolecules 2001 Fall;2(3):912-20

Chen L, Kopecek J, Stewart RJ, Responsive hybrid hydrogels with volume transitions modulated by a titin immunoglobulin module. Bioconjug Chem 2000 Sep-Oct;11(5):734-40

deCastro MJ, Fondecave RM, Clarke LA, Schmidt CF, Stewart RJ, Working strokes by single molecules of the kinesin-related microtubule motor ncd. Nat Cell Biol 2000 Oct;2(10):724-9

Min DJ, Andrade JD, Stewart RJ, Specific immobilization of in vivo biotinylated bacterial luciferase and FMN:NAD(P)H oxidoreductase. Anal Biochem 1999 May 15;270(1):133-9

deCastro MJ, Ho CH, Stewart RJ, Motility of dimeric ncd on a metal-chelating surfactant: evidence that ncd is not processive. Biochemistry 1999 Apr 20;38(16):5076-81

Wang C, Stewart RJ, Kopecek J, Hybrid hydrogels assembled from synthetic polymers and coiled-coil protein domains. Nature 1999 Feb 4;397(6718):417-20

Stewart RJ, Semerjian J, Schmidt CF, Highly processive motility is not a general feature of the kinesins. Eur Biophys J 1998;27(4):353-60

Wang CY, Hitz S, Andrade JD, Stewart RJ, Specific immobilization of firefly luciferase through a biotin carboxyl carrier protein domain. Anal Biochem 1997 Mar 1;246(1):133-9