Welcome to the Grunlan Biomaterials Group headed by Prof. Melissa A. Grunlan. Our research seeks to design, synthesize, and characterize novel polymeric biomaterials to improve their performance or function. Optimization of a specific behavior is controlled at the molecular-level by tailoring the structure of the polymer. Various synthetic strategies are used to prepare novel polymers with desired properties. Of particular interest are inorganic siloxane-based polymers because of their unique set of properties and bioinert character. We prepare polymeric biomaterials in many different forms: homo- and copolymers, polymeric micelles, coatings, colloidal nanoparticles, and hydrogels. Careful characterization of these systems allows determination of structure-property relationships and optimization of specific behavior.