Mark W Grinstaff
· ProfessorBoston University · Chemistry
Active 1990–2024
About
Mark W. Grinstaff is a professor in the Department of Chemistry at Boston University. His research group pursues highly interdisciplinary research in biological and macromolecular chemistry, with the major goal of elucidating fundamental chemistry and engineering principles to guide scientific efforts. He is involved in designing, synthesizing, and characterizing novel dendrimers, termed 'biodendrimers,' for applications in tissue engineering and biotechnology. His work includes evaluating these biomaterials for repairing corneal lacerations, delivering anti-cancer drugs and DNA, and serving as temporary biodegradable scaffolds for cartilage repair. Additionally, he creates novel polymeric coatings called 'interfacial biomaterials' that control biological interactions on various surfaces, and designs electrochemical sensors and devices using conducting polymer nanostructures and DNA motifs. Dr. Grinstaff holds a B.A. from Occidental College and a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Research topics
- Computer Science
- Chemistry
- Biology
- Cell biology
- Nanotechnology
- Biochemistry
- Organic chemistry
- Materials science
- Medicine
- Stereochemistry
- Computational biology
- Anatomy
- Pathology
- Genetics
- Risk analysis (engineering)
- Systems engineering
- Business
- Engineering
- Chromatography
- Biochemical engineering
- Immunology
- Biomedical engineering
- Physics
- Process engineering
Selected publications
Strategy, Design, and Fabrication of Electrochemical Biosensors: A Tutorial
ACS Sensors · 2024 · 91 citations
Senior authorCorresponding- Computer Science
- Computer Science
- Risk analysis (engineering)
Advanced healthcare requires novel technologies capable of real-time sensing to monitor acute and long-term health. The challenge relies on converting a real-time quantitative biological and chemical signal into a desired measurable output. Given the success in detecting glucose and the commercialization of glucometers, electrochemical biosensors continue to be a mainstay of academic and industrial research activities. Despite the wealth of literature on electrochemical biosensors, reports are often specific to a particular application (e.g., pathogens, cancer markers, glucose, etc.), and most fail to convey the underlying strategy and design, and if it is transferable to detection of a different analyte. Here we present a tutorial review for those entering this research area that summarizes the basic electrochemical techniques utilized as well as discusses the designs and optimization strategies employed to improve sensitivity and maximize signal output.
Nature Communications · 2022 · 52 citations
- Cell biology
- Biology
- Anatomy
Longitudinal bone growth, achieved through endochondral ossification, is accomplished by a cartilaginous structure, the physis or growth plate, comprised of morphologically distinct zones related to chondrocyte function: resting, proliferating and hypertrophic zones. The resting zone is a stem cell-rich region that gives rise to the growth plate, and exhibits regenerative capabilities in response to injury. We discovered a FoxA2+group of long-term skeletal stem cells, situated at the top of resting zone, adjacent the secondary ossification center, distinct from the previously characterized PTHrP+ stem cells. Compared to PTHrP+ cells, FoxA2+ cells exhibit higher clonogenicity and longevity. FoxA2+ cells exhibit dual osteo-chondro-progenitor activity during early postnatal development (P0-P28) and chondrogenic potential beyond P28. When the growth plate is injured, FoxA2+ cells expand in response to trauma, and produce physeal cartilage for growth plate tissue regeneration.
Chemical Science · 2022 · 22 citations
- Chemistry
- Biochemistry
- Stereochemistry
is an excellent system for future detailed mechanistic investigation on how metal ligands and secondary coordination shell residues fine-tune the iron-center electronic properties to achieve different reactivities.
Raman needle arthroscopy for in vivo molecular assessment of cartilage
Journal of Orthopaedic Research® · 2021 · 26 citations
- Chemistry
- Biomedical engineering
- Pathology
O scores) predicted 94% of the variation in elastic modulus of ovine explants (p < 0.001). Finally, we demonstrated the first in vivo Raman arthroscopy assessment of an ovine femoral condyle through intraarticular entry into the synovial capsule. This study advances Raman arthroscopy toward a transformative low-cost, minimally invasive diagnostic platform for objective monitoring of treatment outcomes from emerging OA therapies.
Autophagy · 2021 · 2557 citations
- Computer Science
- Biology
- Computational biology
autophagic responses. Here, we critically discuss current methods of assessing autophagy and the information they can, or cannot, provide. Our ultimate goal is to encourage intellectual and technical innovation in the field.
IRGM1 links mitochondrial quality control to autoimmunity
Nature Immunology · 2021 · 121 citations
- Biology
- Cell biology
- Immunology
ACS Catalysis · 2020 · 28 citations
- Chemistry
- Stereochemistry
- Organic chemistry
C-H bond in this trans-sulfuration reaction.
A progesterone biosensor derived from microbial screening
Nature Communications · 2020 · 87 citations
- Computer Science
- Computational biology
- Computer Science
Bacteria are an enormous and largely untapped reservoir of biosensing proteins. We describe an approach to identify and isolate bacterial allosteric transcription factors (aTFs) that recognize a target analyte and to develop these TFs into biosensor devices. Our approach utilizes a combination of genomic screens and functional assays to identify and isolate biosensing TFs, and a quantum-dot Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) strategy for transducing analyte recognition into real-time quantitative measurements. We use this approach to identify a progesterone-sensing bacterial aTF and to develop this TF into an optical sensor for progesterone. The sensor detects progesterone in artificial urine with sufficient sensitivity and specificity for clinical use, while being compatible with an inexpensive and portable electronic reader for point-of-care applications. Our results provide proof-of-concept for a paradigm of microbially-derived biosensors adaptable to inexpensive, real-time sensor devices.
Electrode material–ionic liquid coupling for electrochemical energy storage
Nature Reviews Materials · 2020 · 375 citations
- Materials science
- Nanotechnology
- Chemistry
Recent grants
Sustained Release Relaxin-2 for the Treatment of Frozen Shoulder
NIH · $2.5M · 2022–2027
NIH · $1.4M · 2011
Dissolvable Hydrogel Dressing for the Treatment of Burns
NIH · $1.5M · 2016–2020
MRI: Acquisition of a MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometer
NSF · $115k · 2013–2016
Sulfated Poly-Amido-Saccharide (sulPAS) Biomaterials as Anticoagulants
NIH · $2.3M · 2022–2026
Frequent coauthors
- 208 shared
Philippe Barthélémy
Institut de Cancérologie Strasbourg
- 137 shared
Yolonda L. Colson
Massachusetts General Hospital
- 116 shared
Brian D. Snyder
Harvard University
- 107 shared
Michel Wathier
- 106 shared
Michel Camplo
Aix-Marseille Université
- 94 shared
Thomas J. McIntosh
- 87 shared
Carla A. H. Prata
- 68 shared
Louis Moreau
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Education
- 1996
Postdoctoral Training
California Institute of Technology
- 1992
Ph.D., Chemistry
University of Illinois System
- 1987
A.B.
Occidental College
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