· Title: From Bio-Derived Building Blocks to Modular Therapeutic and Sustainable Materials

· Speakers: Dr. Subhajit Pal (University of California, Berkeley)

· Date: 2026.1.5.(Mon.), 12:00 ~ 13:00

· Venue: W1-1, #2430 (주흘회의실), https://kaist.zoom.us/j/82280864495 

·  Abstract: Advances in synthetic soft materials enable their applications across diverse fields. Yet only a small subset of these materials is sustainably derived and meets the stringent safety standards required for clinical use. Hence, it is of great interest to materials scientists to develop materials that can be tailored for medical and non-medical uses while minimizing environmental impact.

In this talk, I will discuss the journey from synthesizing sustainable polymers to pioneering stretchable medical superglues and thermal-insulating biomaterials. I will elaborate on ultrafast polymerization methods for the natural biomolecule -lipoic acid, with applications in fetal membrane sealing, scarless skin wound closure, industrial adhesives, strain sensors, and energy harvesting. I will then discuss dynamically crosslinked alginate hydrogels for hydrodissection in percutaneous cryoablation, a minimally invasive tumor ablation technique. By incorporating microbubbles, these injectable alginate hydrogels achieve unprecedented thermal insulation, protecting healthy organs from cryogenic damage during tumor ablation.