Rigoberto “Gobet” Advincula |
A
University of Houston (UH) chemist who is developing materials for
detecting and repelling E. coli has published papers in two high-impact
journals this month.
Rigoberto
“Gobet” Advincula, a polymer chemist, says he and his colleagues have
developed two different materials that are both equally effective
against E. coli. He discusses the findings in the June issues of
Chemical Communications (ChemComm) and Chemistry of Materials.
The
ChemComm paper, Advincula says, describes a graphene material that is
proving to be an effective antimicrobial, while the research appearing
in the journal Chemistry of Materials uses a conducting polymer that can
repel E. coli. He says his team has created a smart film that not only
can be used to turn bacterial adhesion on and off, but also may be used
for detecting bacteria. The work was done in collaboration with Debora
Rodrigues and her group from UH’s department of civil and environmental
engineering.
Prolific
in inventing new and smart materials such as these, Advincula has
compiled an impressive record as a leading polymer, thin films and
nanomaterials researcher. In addition to these most recent publications,
three other papers were cover stories in top journals in April. In May,
he released a new book with Wolfgang Knoll of the Austrian Institute of
Technology titled “Functional Polymer Films” that Advincula considers
to be akin to an encyclopedia on polymer thin films.
Additionally,
Advincula was recently inducted as a fellow of the American Chemical
Society (ACS), as well as being named a fellow in two of its technical
divisions – the Polymer Chemistry Division and the Polymer Materials
Science and Engineering Division. The ACS is the world’s largest
scientific society and one of the world’s leading sources of
authoritative scientific information. Achieving fellow status is a
competitive process, based on research, contribution and service
accomplishments to science and society.
“It
is a rare distinction to become a triple fellow with the ACS, which has
more than 163,000 members,” Advincula said. “With only one out of every
1,000 members qualifying for selection as a fellow, I am extremely
honored to achieve this trifecta for my work in advancing polymer and
nanomaterial research and applications.”
He
asserts that much of this is really a tribute to his research group at
UH, saying that his discovery-driven laboratory provides an environment
that allows for readily filing patents, authoring publications and
mentoring future scholars and inventors. He says the joy of working with
students and budding scientists and engineers is reflected in his
record of mentoring, with nearly 20 Ph.D. students, 50 undergraduates
and dozens of high school students coming through his lab over the
years.
“It
is an extraordinary achievement to be named a fellow of the ACS and two
ACS divisions,” said David Hoffman, professor and chair of the
chemistry department in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
at UH. “The honors are a reflection of the respect Gobet’s colleagues
have for him personally and for his scientific work.”
In
addition to his lab research, Advincula has been active in ACS, giving
hundreds of presentations, organizing symposia and serving on the
editorial advisory board of several scientific journals. He has nine
U.S. patents and has authored more than 300 papers. Advincula, who is
both a professor of chemistry and chemical engineering, has been
continuously funded by the National Science Foundation, Robert A. Welch
Foundation and several companies interested in the applications of his
work.