Marco D. Giles

Marco D. Giles
Marco D. Giles, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor

Education

  • B.S. University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, 2003
  • Ph.D. Tulane University (Scott Grayson), 2011
  • Postdoctoral Research, Baylor College of Medicine (Jin Wang), 2011
  • Postdoctoral Research, Texas A&M University (Karen Wooley), 2014                       

Research Interests

My research program includes the synthesis and functionalization of broad polymer classes to generate biocompatible and biodegradable materials for environmental and biomedical applications. Our major interests include the syntheses of polyesters via divergent dendronization; polycarbonates from ring-opening polymerization and polycondensation, and surface functionalization of macromolecules via thiol-ene/yne click chemistry to promote water purification and remediate antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Chemical processes online.

Dendrimer Syntheses:

  • Amino acid-functionalized: Metal complexation
  • Redox-active:  Stimuli-responsive
  • Bio-based:  Benign, degradable materials

Linear Polymer Syntheses:

  • Amino acid-functionalized:  Metal complexation
  • Polycarbonates:  Stimuli-responsive coatings
  • Polyurethanes:  Versatile, engineering plastics

Teaching Interests

  • General Organic Chemistry I (CHEM 2303)
  • General Organic Chemistry II (CHEM 2403)
  • Advanced Organic Chemistry (CHEM 5240)
  • Identification of Organic Compounds (CHEM 5441)
  • Polymer Chemistry (CHEM 5443) 

Selected Research Publications

  1. Li, Y.; Giles, M. D.; Liu, S.; Laurent, B. A.; Hoskins, J. N.; Cortez, M. A.; Sreerama, S. G.; Gibb, B. C.; Grayson, Scott M., A Versatile and Modular Approach to Functionalization of Deep-cavity Cavitands via ‘‘Click’’ Chemistry. Chemical Communications 2011, 47, 9036-9038 (Back Cover). DOI: 10.1039/c1cc11259g
  2. Poree, D. E.; Giles, M. D.; Lawson, L. B.; He, J.; Grayson, S. M., Synthesis of Amphiphilic Star Block Copolymers and their Evaluation as Transdermal Carriers. Biomacromolecules, 2011, 12, 898–906. DOI: 10.1021/bm101185t
  3. Giles, M. D.; Liu, S.; Emanuel, R., L.; Gibb, B., C.; Grayson, S., M. Divergent Dendronization of Deep-Cavity Cavitands to Tune Host Solubility. Israel J. Chem. 2009, 49, 31-40 (Special Issue). DOI: 10.1560/IJC.49.1.31
  4. Giles, M. D.; Liu, S.; Emanuel, R., L.; Gibb, B., C.; Grayson, S., M. Dendronized Supramolecular Nano-Capsules: pH Independent, Water-Soluble Deep Cavity Cavitands via the Hydrophobic Effect. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2008, 130, 14430-14431. DOI: 10.1021/ja806457x