Controlled polymerization techniques (e.g., reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization) provide access to defined copolymer structures where block sequence, monomer composition, and architecture can be readily tuned. Herein, synthesis approaches that leverage photoinduced electron/energy transfer (PET) catalysis to control radical introduction mechanisms will be introduced. For example, we developed synthetic methods to yield polymers containing more precise control over monomer placement and sequence. Additionally, new ways of interfacing acrylic copolymers with proteins to modulate functions show that copolymer composition is critical for achieving protein recognition. Overall, new synthetic design considerations for acrylic copolymers using RAFT polymerization will be discussed.

Adrian earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) in 2013. During that time, he did research internships at Los Alamos National Lab and with Bert Meijer and Patricia Dankers at the Technical University of Eindhoven. He performed undergraduate research at UCSB with Craig Hawker and Brett Fors studying photomediated reactions and Suzuki coupling reactions. In 2018, Adrian earned his doctorate degree in chemistry from the University of Florida with Brent Sumerlin. For his thesis, he developed synthetic methods to defined polymer structures using controlled radical polymerization (CRP). During this time, he was also a visiting research scholar with Prof. Cyrille Boyer at the University of New South Wales. Adrian conducted postdoctoral research with Prof. Chad Mirkin at Northwestern University from 2018-2021. His postdoctoral research focused on applying concepts of CRP to oligonucleotide and protein assemblies. Adrian started as an Assistant Professor at Virginia Tech in the Chemistry Department in 2021.