07/29/2026
By Kwok Fan Chow

The Kennedy College of Science, Department of Chemistry, invites you to attend a Ph.D. dissertation defense by Majid Akbar titled “New Polymeric Systems to Prevent and Eradicate Microbial Biofilms.”

  • Date: Wednesday, August 5, 2026
  • Time: 11:30 a.m.
  • Location: Olney Hall, Room 518

Committee

  • Chair: Yuyu Sun, Ph.D., Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • James Reuther, Ph.D., Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Mathew Gage, Ph.D., Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Jin Xu, Ph.D., Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Abstract

Microbial biofilms are communities of microbial cells held together and protected by self-produced extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), which support microbial cells by exchanging nutrients and metabolic waste with the environment, making them difficult to treat and resistant to antimicrobial agents. In this dissertation, polymeric systems were used to approach the problem in two ways: eradicating preformed biofilms and preventing them from forming.

In the first strategy, an oxidized beta-cyclodextrin (Oxβ-CD)-based biofilm-binding drug delivery system was developed for the treatment of oral ulcerative lesions caused by the formation of Candida biofilms. Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) is conjugated with oxidized beta-cyclodextrin, which binds to extracellular polymeric substances of Candida biofilms. Miconazole is used as an antifungal agent for the inclusion complex formation of functionalized beta-cyclodextrin. WGA binding to biofilms showed enhanced antifungal activity with minimal contact time to eradicate the preformed biofilms.

In the second strategy, prevention of biofilm formation was addressed with cyanuric chloride-based reactive dyes used as linkers to bind polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) covalently to cotton cellulose to provide antimicrobial functionalization for various applications. Reactive Blue 4, a commercial anthraquinone dye, was used as a reactive dye to bind to cellulose and PHMB. The PHMB-dyed cellulose effectively prevented the formation of microbial biofilms and showed excellent biocompatibility toward mammalian cells.

All interested students and faculty members are invited to attend.