Brian Love, Ph.D.

Dr. Love’s research group works to increase knowledge of the kinetics and thermodynamics associated with gel and aggregate formation. The group’s work is loosely organized on three themes: the physics of gelation of immobilization matrices for both cells and therapeutics, the evolving structural evolution of amyloid proteins induced gels and aggregates, and the linkages among mechanical manipulation of cells, cell constructs, and immobilized cells. Our primary analytical tools include rheometry, DSC, and x-ray scattering. We have also built our own mechanical probes for microtiter plates in both compression and shear and are developing alternative mathematical models to describe biophysical changes arising during gelation. Functionally, we are formulating fluid dispersions deployed as injectables for localized and fixed drug delivery systems, benign cellular immobilization matrices for tissue engineering, and probing the biophysics of protein aggregation. Our development of benign cellular immobilization matrices offers hope of a platform technology that could be used with different cells.

Research Areas:

Biomaterials, Biomechanics, Cardiovascular, Molecular and Cellular Biomechanics, Skeletal Orthopaedics, Tissue Engineering and Biomaterials