The Interdisciplinary Seminar Class had the privilege to speak with Dr. Priestly.
Here’s what happened:
1. Jennifer :Can you explain your background and interests growing up? What targeted you on this path [of polymer nanoparticle research]?
2. Michael: Your paper focused more on the process of nanoparticles and developing them. I was wondering if you could speak to the application, such as drug delivery?
3. Barbara: I remember our class talked about the use of coumarin in the photo-responsive coumarin article and one of our professors brought up the use of coumarin as opposed to other organic compounds that can have similar affects in the human body. So I was wondering why coumairn was used?
4. Barbara: So in your lab, have you tried to look at other ones [responsive moieties]?
5. Barbara: So how would that [temperature responsive moieties] react to the human body?
6. Morgan: You were talking about the application of these [nanoparticles] and how you get your inspiration to come up with different research ideas. So, is it ever the case that either in your group or any other groups where you undertake a project idea after communicating with a partner in medicine or industry where they would say this is something we’re struggling with and need help developing? field?
7. Morgan: It’s funny that you say that actually, because I was speaking to a professor about the difference between academia and industry and one of the main things she said was that in academia you’re doing it to understand how the world works, and in industry, you’re trying to solve problems.
8. More on Polystyrene particles, including an interesting find.
9. Morgan: Just based on my extreme frustration with doing experiments on the micron level, I’m wondering how long does the layering take?
10. Michael: Since you’re working on such a small scale, I get that you can kind of physically see what’s going on. But when you’re trying a new reaction and you aren’t sure what happens in new conditions, how do you know that you did it, or didn’t do it?
11. Barbara: I have two questions: 1) are the names listed on your articles the names of your graduate students that work in your lab? and 2)What are the implications of nanoparticles?
12. Barbara: You mention in the FNP (flash nano-precipitation) article, that grand scale applications can get a bit iffy because as you increase polystyrene concentration, the size also increases. So in terms of making it [nanoparticle precipitation] competitive with companies using emulsification, how do you propose that would work?
13. Morgan: What is it exactly about your research or your job that drives you the most? What get’s you up in the morning to do this everyday?