Expertise

• Biomaterials research and product development.
• Biomaterial applications, drug delivery and implants.
• Biomaterial technology development strategy.
• Drug eluting stent materials and stent development.
• Drug eluting cardiovascular stents.
• High performance polymers.
• Polymer alloys such as polyester/ABS, polyester/polycarbonate/ABS, nylon/ABS and polycarbonate/ABS.
• Biomaterial intellectual property Issues.

Experience

Independent Consulant, 2008 - Present

Medtronic Inc, Santa Rosa, CA, 2002 - 2008

Distinguished Scientist and Director, Polymer Research Senior Principal Scientist

• Directed polymeric biomaterials program to support future generation drug eluting cardiovascular stents.
• Put in place a fully equipped polymer laboratory at CardioVascular in Santa Rosa.
• Implemented a well regarded world class polymer program, a core competency of Medtronic for competitive advantage.
• Hired qualified and motivated professionals to form a highly innovative team.
• Directed build up of voluminous libraries of proprietary bio-stable and bio-absorbable polymers.
• Co-inventor in 4 issued US patents and 23 patent filings while at Medtronic.
• Second generation Medtronic drug eluting stents ("Resolute") based on "BioLinx" biostable polymers invented and developed by Polymer Research.
• Made global presentations on designing and selecting polymers for drug eluting stent coatings.
• Participated in CardioVascular due diligence teams to evaluate polymer technologies.
• Taught courses on polymers to the manufacturing engineers and sales force.

Metaphore, Pharmaceuticals, Saint Louis, MO, Consultant, 1999 - 2002

• Functionalized device surfaces with superoxide dismutase mimics and demonstrated reduced inflammatory response.

Monsanto Company, Saint Louis, MO, 1979 - 1999

• Designed and produced biomaterials with reduced inflammatory response and improved resistance to biodegradation.
• Developed a novel low cost process for weather-stabilized black nylon.
• Project lead to understand the mechanism of ultraviolet degradation of nylon 66 through characterization of structural changes by NMR.
• Formulated a proprietary permanent anti-static ABS to meet customer needs.
• Compiled a database on fundamentals of ring opening anionic polymerization and copolymerization of caprolactam in support of pultruded thermoplastic glass-nylon composites.
• Championed and promoted a project on fundamentals of clear-tough alloys and alloys with barrier properties.
• Proposed and managed projects at the A. V. Topchiev Institute of Petrochemical Synthesis, Moscow, focused on developing fundamental solutions to chronic problems in ABS plastics.
• Represented Plastics Technology in delegations to overseas locations to evaluate technologies for possible joint ventures.
• Helped Plastics Technology build/maintain relations with academia and 8 different universties.
• Developed fundamental and proprietary technology to produce polyester/ABS and polyester/polycarbonate/ABS alloys to compliment the nylon/ABS and polycarbonate/ABS alloy product lines.
• Demonstrated that recycled polyethylene terephthalate (pulverized PET soda bottles) can be effectively employed to generate alloys with interesting property balance.
• Synthesized high modulus, high impact nylons for reaction injection molded (RIM) applications via anionic polymerization and graft polymerization of caprolactam on particulate core-shell rubber.
• Formulated glass filled composites based on PET comparable in properties to competition.
• Studies extended to nylon/PET hybrid glass composites with reduced moisture absorption and improved modulus retention on equilibration (compared to nylon composites).

Honors & Publications

Academic and Professional Affiliations

• American Chemical Society
• Society for Biomaterials
• Controlled Release Society

Credentials

• Gold Medal, University of Bombay
• Awarded the Technical Contributor of the Year (TCOY) Team Award with two collaborators for developing BioLinx Polymer

Publications and Patents

• 29 Patents
• 40 publications

Education

• Ph.D. Polymer Science, Institute of Polymer Science, University of Akron
• M.Sc Paints and Polymers, University of Bombay, India
• B.Sc Paints and Polymers, University of Bombay, India