Prof. Dr. Dmitry Volodkin

Profile

Academic positionAssociate Professor, Senior Lecturer, Reader
Research fieldsBiomaterials,Physical Chemistry at Surfaces
KeywordsBiomimetics, Biomaterials, Surface Engineering, Cell Biology, Self-Assembly
Honours and awards

2013: Richard-Zsigmondy Price of German Colloid Society

2010: Sofja Kovalevskaja Award

2009: Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship

2007: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship

2003: Award of President of Russia for excellent studies

2003: DAAD fellowship

Current contact address

CountryUnited Kingdom
CityNottingham
InstitutionNottingham Trent University
InstituteDepartment of Chemistry and Forensics

Host during sponsorship

Prof. Dr. Regine KlitzingInstitut für Chemie, Stranski-Laboratorium TC 9, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin
Dr. Claus DuschlZelluläre Biotechnologie & Biochips, Fraunhofer-Institut für Biomedizinische Technik (IBMT), Golm
Prof. Dr. Dr. habil. Dirk SchubertLehrstuhl für Polymerwerkstoffe, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen
Start of initial sponsorship01/09/2009

Programme(s)

2008Humboldt Research Fellowship Programme for Postdocs
2010Sofja Kovalevskaja Award Programme

Nominator's project description

High hopes have been placed on the introduction of cell-based therapies in medicine. Stem cells are to serve the treatment of degenerative diseases in future, cells of the immune system are to be stimulated, and new drugs are to be tested more reliably, and without animal experiments, using tissue samples. For all these applications, it is necessary to be able to control the behaviour and development of cells. Adherent cells are important in such therapies. They can grow outside an organism on a surface and can also divide, and they will respond to the texture of the surface that they are growing on. Dmitry Volodkin is taking advantage of this by tailoring ultra-thin layers made out of a wide range of poly-electrolytes to suit the purpose of controlling the development of the cells. Additionally, he is modifying the poly-electrolyte layers so that their properties can be “switched on and off” by external stimuli, such as laser light, making it much easier to use them and extending the range of applications. He now wants to further examine the cellular biology, biochemical and physical aspects of this concept and attempt to enhance the potential for biomedical applications.