[MANA E-BULLETIN Vol.8 - Feature] An Interview with prof. Allan S. Hoffman

Two prominent researchers of WPI-MANA and University of Washington discuss the development of smart polymers and biomaterials Prof. Allan S. Hoffman from the University of Washington, a pioneer in smart polymers and biomaterials research, visited MANA for the International Symposium on Smart Biomaterials held in Tsukuba on Sept. 9. He and a former student, MANA’s Dr. Mitsuhiro Ebara, sat down with the MANA e-Bulletin to discuss their work. Dr. Hoffman pioneered the applications of temperature and pH-responsive smart polymers and hydrogels in drug delivery, diagnostic assays and biologically active and non-fouling polymer surfaces. He is highly respected in the field of biomaterials, and has received numerous awards, as well as over a hundred patents. Dr. Ebara’s research is in smart polymers, which are finding applications in a variety of fields, including regenerative medicine, drug delivery and rapid diagnostics, and are expected to transform medicine in the near future.