About

Adrian Figg is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Virginia Tech. His research group develops methods to create new, defined polymer structures inspired by the precision of biology, with broader applications in studying diseases and plastics recycling. He pushes the limits of synthetic controlled polymerization techniques to access structures that can be programmed for various applications, such as restoring function to un-functional proteins, designing improved protein-polymer therapeutics, or embedding tunable chemical sites for new routes to recycle or deconstruct plastics. His work focuses on advancing the understanding and development of polymer chemistry to address real-world challenges in health and environmental sustainability.

Research topics

• Polymer chemistry
• Chemistry
• Organic chemistry
• Photochemistry
• Biophysics
• Chemical engineering
• Composite material
• Biochemistry
• Materials science
• Combinatorial chemistry

Selected publications

• Measuring Activation and Degradation of Reverse-Blocking-Order PET-RAFT Chain Extension Polymerizations

  Macromolecules · 2026-04-01

  articleOpen accessSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Reversing Blocking Order of Trithiocarbonate‐Mediated RAFT Polymerizations Using Photocatalysis

  Angewandte Chemie International Edition · 2025-06-24 · 4 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Abstract Many acrylic–methacrylic block copolymer sequences remain inaccessible due to synthetic limitations. Herein, photoinduced electron/energy transfer (PET) catalysis is leveraged to reverse blocking order limitations in trithiocarbonate (TTC)‐mediated reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. We synthesized poly(methyl acrylate‐ b ‐methyl methacrylate) by PET‐RAFT using fac ‐Ir(ppy) 3 , achieving predictable, linear increases in molecular weight with conversion. Kinetics studies showed that adding a tertiary amine (triethanolamine) introduced a reversible redox reaction to stabilize the TTC radical during chain extensions, leading to more uniform block copolymers ( Ð < 1.47) compared to block copolymers synthesized without amine ( Ð < 1.56). To highlight the utility of this method, triblock copolymers of poly(methyl acrylate) and poly(methyl methacrylate) blocks were investigated. The order of acrylic and methacrylic blocks impacted the physical properties of compositionally similar polymeric materials. For example, a high molecular weight triblock copolymer (P(MMA‐ b ‐MA‐ b ‐MMA), M n = 564 kg mol −1 ) thermoplastic elastomer showed exceptional strain (>1600%). Overall, we report (i) a new methodology to unlock synthetic access to acrylic–methacrylic block copolymers using TTCs and photocatalysis, (ii) insight into photocatalyst‐mediated radical polymerization, and (iii) synthesis of new high‐performance materials.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Identification and characterization of substrate- and product-selective nylon hydrolases

  Chem Catalysis · 2025-06-13 · 4 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Tuning Polyacrylate Composition to Recognize and Modulate Fluorescent Proteins

  Angewandte Chemie International Edition · 2025-11-17 · 3 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Molecular definition is usually regarded as a prerequisite to achieve protein recognition and functional modulation, particularly for macromolecular interactions. Herein, we report that polymers with specific combinations of monomers arranged into random sequences [random hetero oligomers (RHOs)] can selectively bind to a model protein. Using green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a target, polyacrylates were developed that bound with nanomolar affinity and enhanced fluorescence by >100%. Purification of the polymerization product revealed subpopulations of compositions with distinct affinities and selectivity for GFP over a competing protein. Experimental and computational binding analyses confirmed that there are distinct RHO-GFP interactions, which are influenced by RHO chemical composition. These findings show that sequence-defined structures are not a prerequisite for selective protein recognition. Synthetic polymers can instead serve as scalable, tunable platforms for molecular recognition-representing a significant leap towards next-generation sensing, therapeutic, responsive, and catalytic materials in domains previously dominated by biologics or complex peptide scaffolds.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Leveraging Protein–Ligand and DNA Interactions to Control Hydrogel Mechanics

  Journal of the American Chemical Society · 2025-05-09 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  Biomacromolecules can serve as molecularly precise building blocks for hydrogel materials, dictating material properties that depend on the chemical identity and interactions of the individual components. Herein, we introduce biomolecular hydrogels where ligand-functionalized DNA sequences form the hydrogel backbone and multivalent protein-ligand interactions form supramolecular cross-links. In these hydrogels, we can independently leverage the programmable rigidity of DNA (i.e., single-stranded vs double-stranded DNA) and defined protein-ligand binding affinities spanning >10 orders of magnitude to modulate the gel stiffness, stress relaxation, and shear thinning. We learn that (1) double-stranded networks have stiffness values up to 3 orders of magnitude greater than single-stranded networks and exhibit thermoresponsiveness and (2) the protein-ligand binding affinities and dissociation rate constants determine the network topologies and stress relaxation rates of the hydrogels. Finally, the hydrogels exhibit cytocompatibility and cell-type-specific degradation, where cells can migrate through the gels via interactions between the gels and their ligand-binding receptors. Together, this work demonstrates that varying the local chemical interactions of the hydrogel backbone and the supramolecular binding affinity of dynamic cross-links leads to cytocompatible hydrogels with tunable viscoelastic properties for applications in drug delivery and tissue engineering.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Leveraging reactivity to gain precise control over macromolecular structures with photocatalysis in reversible-deactivation radical polymerizations

  Chemical Science · 2025-01-01 · 6 citations

  reviewOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  , kinetic understanding of photocatalyst (PC) interplay with different chain ends, PC development, and effects of reaction conditions on PC performance). By identifying how photocatalysis and reaction conditions can be tuned to mediate polymerization kinetics and selectivity, more defined and controlled polymer sequences, topologies, and macroscopic properties will be unlocked.

  PublisherDOI

• 33 Unresolved Questions in Nanoscience and NanotechnologyArticle link copied!

  RWTH Publications (RWTH Aachen) · 2025-01-01

  article
  Publisher

• 33 Unresolved Questions in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

  ACS Nano · 2025-09-04 · 22 citations

  articleOpen access

  Significant advances in science and engineering often emerge at the intersections of disciplines. Nanoscience and nanotechnology are inherently interdisciplinary, uniting researchers from chemistry, physics, biology, medicine, materials science, and engineering. This convergence has fostered novel ways of thinking and enabled the development of materials, tools, and technologies that have transformed both basic and applied research, as well as how we address critical societal challenges. In this Nano Focus, we pose and explore 33 questions whose answers could profoundly impact fields such as energy, electronics, the environment, optics, and medicine. These questions highlight the need for deeper foundational understanding, improved tools and techniques, and innovative applications─each with significant societal relevance. Together, they represent a global call-to-action for the scientific community.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Polyacrylates with protein recognition and functional modulation

  ChemRxiv · 2025-06-04 · 3 citations

  preprintOpen accessSenior author

  Molecular definition is usually regarded as a prerequisite to achieve protein recognition and functional modulation, particularly for macromolecular interactions. Herein, we report that polyacrylates with specific combinations of monomers arranged into random sequences (random hetero oligomers (RHOs)) are capable of binding to a model green fluorescent protein (GFP) with nanomolar affinity, resulting in fluorescence increases >50%. Purification methods show that within a single polymerization product, there are subpopulations of compositions with varying affinity for GFP and selectivity for GFP over a competing protein. Further experimental and computational binding analyses showed there are distinct RHO-GFP interactions according to RHO chemical composition. These results demonstrate that readily accessible polymerization methods can be used to develop protein modulators, where sequence definition is not a necessity.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Tuning Polyacrylate Composition to Recognize and Modulate Fluorescent Proteins

  Angewandte Chemie · 2025-11-17 · 1 citations

  articleSenior authorCorresponding

  Abstract Molecular definition is usually regarded as a prerequisite to achieve protein recognition and functional modulation, particularly for macromolecular interactions. Herein, we report that polymers with specific combinations of monomers arranged into random sequences [random hetero oligomers (RHOs)] can selectively bind to a model protein. Using green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a target, polyacrylates were developed that bound with nanomolar affinity and enhanced fluorescence by >100%. Purification of the polymerization product revealed subpopulations of compositions with distinct affinities and selectivity for GFP over a competing protein. Experimental and computational binding analyses confirmed that there are distinct RHO–GFP interactions, which are influenced by RHO chemical composition. These findings show that sequence‐defined structures are not a prerequisite for selective protein recognition. Synthetic polymers can instead serve as scalable, tunable platforms for molecular recognition—representing a significant leap towards next‐generation sensing, therapeutic, responsive, and catalytic materials in domains previously dominated by biologics or complex peptide scaffolds.

  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Brent S. Sumerlin

  University of Florida

  35 shared

• Tomohiro Kubo

  12 shared

• Bryan S. Tucker

  University of Florida

  11 shared

• Weihong Tan

  Hunan University

  10 shared

• Yifan Lyu

  Hunan University

  10 shared

• Georg M. Scheutz

  University of Florida

  7 shared

• Ying Jiang

  Shanghai University

  6 shared

• R. Nicholas Carmean

  University of Florida

  6 shared

Labs

• Figg Research GroupPI

Awards & honors

• Weinberg Family Postdoctoral Fellowship (2020)
• ACS PMSE Division Future Faculty Scholar (2019)
• International Institute for Nanotechnology Postdoctoral Fell…
• George and Josephine Butler Polymer Research Award (2017)
• M. A. Battiste Award for Creative Work in Synthetic Organic…