Paula T. Hammond
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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Primary Section: 31, Engineering Sciences Membership Type:
Member
(elected 2019)
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Biosketch
Paula T. Hammond is a chemical engineer recognized for her work in the assembly of macromolecules to generate nanostructured materials. She is known for her use of electrostatics and other complementary interactions to create functional systems with highly controlled architectures for electrochemical and biomedical applications. Her research in nanomedicine encompasses the development of new biomaterials to enable drug delivery from surfaces with spatio-temporal control. Dr. Hammond was born in Detroit, Michigan, and attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for her Bachelor's degree, followed by an M.S. from the Georgia Institute of Technology and received her Ph.D. from MIT, all in Chemical Engineering. She joined the faculty at MIT in 1995 and is the David H. Koch Chair Professor of Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Head of the Department of Chemical Engineering and a member of MIT's Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research. Professor Hammond is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the National Academy of Medicine, as well as the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Research Interests
The Hammond Lab research program is focused on the design and synthesis of polymeric nanomaterials; a large part of the program's effort is on the development of thin films or nanoparticles designed to deliver drugs to specific regions of the body. Prof. Hammond's work has encompassed the development of new biomaterials using directed and self-assembly of polymers, including drug delivery systems containing biologic protein and nucleic acid based therapeutics, and coatings to promote tissue regeneration. Areas of application have included targeted cancer nanomedicine, vaccines, drug releasing biomedical implants, and growth factor and siRNA release for wound healing and bone regeneration. She also investigates novel responsive block copolymers for targeted nanoparticle drug and gene delivery. Hammond has developed materials systems for both localized and systemic delivery of nucleic acids, including RNA, DNA and oligonucleotide controlled release and delivery, and synthetic polypeptide hydrogels for cellular scaffolds. Previous work has also included self-assembled materials systems for electrochemical energy devices, including photovoltaics, fuel cells, and batteries, and has developed self-assembled materials systems for electrochemical energy devices.
