Donald A. Tomalia
Donald Andrew Tomalia (born September 5, 1938 in Owosso near Flint , Michigan ) is an American chemist. He is considered to be the discoverer of the dendrimers .
Tomalia graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelor's degree in 1961 and Bucknell University with a master's degree in 1962. He received his doctorate in physical organic chemistry from Michigan State University in 1968 . In 1966 he went to Dow Chemical , where he was from project manager, 1968 group leader and 1971 research manager. In 1976 he became an Associate Scientist and from 1979 to 1984 he was a Senior Associate Scientist at Dow Chemical and from 1984 to 1990 he did research in the Functional Polymers and Process Department. From 1990 to 1999 he was Professor and Director of the Nanoscale Chemistry and Architecture department at the Michigan Molecular Institute. From 1998 to 2000 he was Vice President Technology there. In 2003 he became director of the National Center for Dendrimer and Nanotechnology at Central Michigan University .
From 1992 to 2000 he was founding president of Dendritech Inc. in Midland , which was founded for the production and development of dendrimers and which granted Dow all patents in this area. From 2002 he was President and Chief Engineer (CTO) of Dentritic Nanotechnologies in Mount Pleasant , a joint venture with StarPharma in Melbourne .
Tomalia's goal at Dow Chemical in the 1970s was to synthesize branched polymers instead of the usual linear arrangements. Since this was not officially supported, he could only work on it on the side (Friday afternoon, which the chemists at Dow were given for such projects). In 1979 he and a colleague achieved a breakthrough when they mixed methanol into the solution in polymer production and were able to produce building blocks with two branch points each. The branch of research dendrimers developed from this. These are polymers that grow branched around a hollow core. The hollow core can serve as a transport cage and was used in many applications in biomedicine from the 1990s onwards. Tomalia holds over 100 US patents (2010) related to dendrimers. He published over 180 scientific articles (2010).
From 1984 he was Distinguished Lecturer of the Japan Society for Polymer Science. In 1988 he received the Global Project Prize from MITI in Japan.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Life data according to American Men and Women of Science , Thomson Gale 2004
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Tomalia, Donald A. |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Tomalia, Donald Andrew (full name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American chemist |
| DATE OF BIRTH | September 5, 1938 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Owosso near Flint , Michigan |