Georgia Papavasiliou, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Office: Engineering 1 Building, Room 116
10 West 32nd Street
Chicago, IL 60616-3793
Phone: 312.567.5959
Fax: 312.567.5707
Email:
papavasiliou@iit.edu
Web:
Expertise
Education
- B.S., Chemical Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, 1996
- Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, 2003
Research
In order for biofunctional hydrogels to induce specific cellular functions such as cell adhesion, migration and angiogenesis, various classes of biological ligands such as adhesion sequences, growth factors and degradation sites can be covalently immobilized within the scaffold in the form of photopolymerizable macromers. However, the level of incorporation of these biological signals and the physical and biological properties of the hydrogel scaffolds are all precisely regulated by the kinetics of polymerization.
Our current research efforts are aimed towards the development of experimental techniques to determine the physical properties of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-based hydrogels and to quantify the level of ligand incorporation as affected by kinetic parameters and reaction conditions. One of our goals is to formulate computational models of hydrogel formation that can predict the physical properties and the composition of biological signal incorporation within the scaffolds. These models are being used as a guide to optimize cell-scaffold interactions so that the biological effect of ligand incorporation on cellular response can be functionally tested in vitro.
Current Projects
Awards/Honors
- IIT Research Fellow, 1996
- AIChE Chicago Section McCormick Award Recipient, 1996
- University Excellence in Teaching Award, IIT, 1998
- W.M. Langdon Excellence in Chemical Engineering Teaching Award, IIT, 1998
Patents
Books
Selected Publications
Papavasiliou, G, Songprawat, P., Pérez-Luna, V.H., Hammes E.A., Morris M., and Brey, E.M. Three-Dimensional Patterning of Poly(ethylene glycol) Hydrogels Through Surface Initiated Photopolymerization. Accepted for Publication in Tissue Engineering (Nov 2007).Kizilel, S., Papavasiliou, G., Gossage J., and Teymour, F. Mathematical Model for Vinyl Divinyl Polymerization. Macromolecular Reaction Engineering. 1(6): 587-603, 2007.
Papavasiliou, G and Teymour, F. Bifurcation Analysis of Non-isothermal Nonlinear Polymerization. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research. 44(8): 2754-2766, 2005.
Papavasiliou, G., Teymour, F. Bifurcation Analysis of Non-isothermal Nonlinear Polymerization. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 44(8): 2754-2766, 2005.
Papavasiliou, G and Teymour, F. Calculation of Molecular Weight Distributions in Vinyl Divinyl Copolymerization Using the Numerical Fractionation Technique. Macromolecular Theory & Simulations. 12: 543-548, 2003.
Papavasiliou, G, Birol, I., and Teymour, F. Calculation of Molecular Weight Distributions in Non-linear Free-Radical Polymerization using the Numerical Fractionation Technique Macromolecular Theory and Simulations. 11(5): 533-548, 2002.
Shao, S., Papavasiliou, G., and Arastoopour, H. Laser Doppler Anemometry (LDA) Diagnostics of the Two Phase Flow Parameters in a Liquid-Gas Two-Phase Flow System. AIChE Symposium Series, Advances in Fluidization and Fluid Particle Systems. 317: 7-11, 1997.
Shao, S., Slovik, H.J., Papavasiliou, G., and Arastoopour, H. The Flight Time Technique for Simultaneous Measurements of Particle Flow Parameters Using Laser Doppler Anemometry (LDA). Fluidization VIII, Large JF, Laguerie C, ed. Engineering Foundation, NY; 593-602, 1996.
Book Chapters
Papavasiliou, G. and Teymour, F. Nonlinear Dynamics in Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor Polymerization. Chap. 24, in Nonlinear Dynamics in Polymeric Systems, edited by John A. Pojman and Qui Tran-Cong-Miyata. Vol. 869, 309-323. Washington, DC: American Chemical Society, 2004.

