Kerim Gattás Asfura

Kerim M. Gattás Asfura (born February 5, 1976 in San Pedro Sula, Honduras) is a Chemist and received his Ph.D. degree in organic chemistry from the University of Miami.

Gattás Asfura is recognized for his contributions to applied organic chemistry in the field of biomaterials as well as surface and supramolecular chemistry. He has expertise in the synthesis of small organic molecules and peptides, Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett films, functionalization of polymer for hydrogel applications in tissue engineering, and quantum dots as biosensors. He aims to significantly contribute to the development of successful bioartificial pancreas for the treatment of diabetes.

Biography

Gattás Asfura completed postdoctoral research work at the Scripps Research Institute (Florida) and Diabetes Research Institute where he is currently an associate scientist with interest in scientific research embracing chemistry, materials science, and biomedicine.

Early career

Born in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, Gattás Asfura travelled to Gainesville, Florida in the United States to pursue his studies in the field of agriculture. He was granted the Associate degree on 1996 from Santa Fe College, the B.S. on 1998 and the M.S. on 2000, both, from the University of Florida. He worked on the effect of dietary phytase on performance and phosphorus requirements of laying hens under the supervision of Professors Don R. Sloan. He acknowledges Professor Richard D. Miles for his essential research contributions. It was demonstrated that phytase can enhance digestibility of total dietary plant phosphorus. In addition, Gattás Asfura derived an equation to estimate the phosphorus requirements of laying hens. This work is important when considering the detrimental over-enrichment of waters by nutrients.

His passion for chemistry led him to continue studies at the University of Miami, where he was granted the Ph.D. in Chemistry on December 2005 under the supervision of Professor Roger M. Leblanc. His research aims consisted on molecular recognition based on biomacromolecules and quantum dots. He mastered related techniques including Organic Syntheses, Langmuir monolayers, and Langmuir-Blodgett films. He studied the physical properties of quantum dots at the air-water interface and utilized such quantum confinement effects for bioimaging applications and to fabricate biosensor systems for copper and nerve agents. With guidance of Professor Fotios M. Andreopoulos, Gattás Asfura and collaborators developed innovative photo-cross-linkable hydrogels for use as scaffolds in tissue engineering applications.

Gattás Asfura continued his work as postdoctoral researcher at the Scripps Research Institute on 2006 developing peptide analogs as antimicrobial agents under the supervision of Professor James P. Tam. On 2007, he moved to the Diabetes Research Institute of the University of Miami to continue postdoctoral research in polymer functionalization for cellular encapsulation under the supervision of Professor Cherie L. Stabler. On 2011, he was promoted to associate scientist and has applied the use of Bioorthogonal chemistry, highly branched polymers, and the layer-by-layer assembly for ultrathin conformal coating of pancreatic islets to treat diabetes. In addition to his multiple journal publications, he has co-authored chapter 17 of the 2009 book entitled “The Bioartificial Pancreas and other Biohybrid Therapies” edited by Jean-Pierre Hallé, Paul de Vos and Lawrence Rosenberg.

Professional Societies

Kerim Gattás Asfura is a member of the American Chemical Society and the Biomedical Engineering Society.

Awards and honors

• Research Achievement University of Miami (2005)
• First Publication University of Miami (2002)
• Academic Achievement University of Florida (1998-2000)
• Scholarship American Society of Animal Science (1998)
• President Honor Roll University of Florida (1997-1998)
• Santa Fe Scholar Santa Fe College (1996)

Book

Co-authored chapter 17 of the 2009 book entitled “The Bioartificial Pancreas and other Biohybrid Therapies” edited by Jean-Pierre Hallé, Paul de Vos, and Lawrence Rosenberg. ISBN 978-81-7895-415-8 (first English edition, hardcover)

Publications

• “Perfluorinated alginate for cellular encapsulation” J. Biomed. Mater. Res. Part A (2012), 100A, 1963-1971.
  • ''Gattás-Asfura, K.; Fraker, C.A.; Stabler, C.L.

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• “Covalent stabilization of alginate microbeads via Staudinger ligation: Assessment of poly(ethylene glycol)and alginate cross-linkers” J. Biomed. Mater. Res. Part A (2011), 99A, 47-57.
  • ''Gattás-Asfura, K.; Fraker, C.A.; Stabler, C.L.

''

• “Organophosphorus acid anhydrolase bio-template for the synthesis of CdS quantum dots” Chem. Commun. (2011) 47, 7242-7244.
  • Zhao, L.; Gattás-Asfura, K.; Xu, J.; Patel, R.A.; Dadlani, A.; Sillero-Mahinay, M.; Cushmore, M.; Rastogi, V.K.; Shah, S.; Leblanc, R.M.

• “Microencapsulation of islets within alginate/poly(ethylene glycol) gels cross-linked via Staudinger ligation” Acta Biomaterialia 2011, 7, 614-624.
  • Hall, K.K.; Gattás-Asfura, K.; Stabler, C.L.

• “Chemoselective cross-linking and functionalization of alginate via Staudinger ligation” Biomacromolecules (2009) 10, 3122-3129.
  • ''Gattás-Asfura, K.; Stabler, C.L.

''

• “A photodimerization approach to crosslink and functionalize microgels” Colloids Surf. B (2007) 58, 116-120.
  • ''Sirpal, S.; Gattás-Asfura, K.; Leblanc, R.M.

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• “Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett Films of Quantum Dots” Colloids Surf. A (2006) 284-285, 35-42.
  • ''Xu, J.; Ji, X.; Gattás-Asfura, K.; Wang, C.; Leblanc, R.M.

''

• “Color Change of Toluidine Blue Induced by Polyanionic Quantum Dots” Colloids Surf. A (2006) 282-283, 471-474.
  • ''Gattás-Asfura, K.; Naistat, D.M.; Leblanc, R.M.

''

• “Characterization and 2D Self-Assembly of CdSe Quantum Dots at the Air-Water Interface” J. Am.Chem. Soc. (2005) 127, 14640-14646.
  • ''Gattás-Asfura, K.; Constantine, C.A.; Lynn, M.J.; Thimann, D.A.; Ji, X.; Leblanc, R.M.

''

• “Surface Chemistry Studies of (CdSe)ZnS Quantum Dots at the Air-Water Interface” Langmuir (2005) 21, 5377-5382.
  • Ji, X.; Wang, C.; Xu, J.; Zheng, J.; Gattás-Asfura, K.; Leblanc, R.M.

See also

• List of Honduran Americans