High-Value Healthcare Applications of Cellulose: Unlocking New Opportunities

Cellulose has promising applications in high-value healthcare settings. Its unique chemical properties and biocompatibility allow for the creation of advanced biomedical materials. This presentation will discuss how cellulose can be used to create medical-grade materials, including tissue engineering scaffolds, controlled drug release systems, and diagnostic platforms. I will present recent work on modifying cellulose to enhance its bioactivity and performance in medical applications. This body of work shows how traditional processing techniques can be adapted to create new advanced engineered materials. By leveraging cellulose's inherent properties, the pulp and paper industry has the opportunity to expand into the growing biomedical sector, creating high-value products with significant market potential. This shift not only diversifies applications but also strengthens the industry's reole in cutting-edge material innovation.

Learning Outcomes

• Recognize potential uses of cellulose in biomedicine
• Identify surface chemistry principles

Diego’s research focus is on the development of sustainable bio-based materials for advanced health applications. He is the PI at the Bio Nano Advanced Health Materials at the Fiber and Biopolymer Research Institute at Texas Tech University. Prior to this, he did postdoctoral work at Northeastern University researching the microenvironment of neural cells for regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. He holds a PhD in Forest Biomaterials from Auburn University, a M.Sc. in Material Design and Engineering, and a B.S. in Biological Engineering both from Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana in Mexico. He has expertise in nanomaterials and biopolymer surface chemistry, characterization, and 3-D assembly. Equally important is his interest in education and mentoring as tools to harvest a sense of belonging and to build a sustainable future.