Thomas J. Webster
Professor, Art Zafiropoulo Chair in Engineering,
Chemical Engineering
Contact
- th.webster@northeastern.edu
- 313 Snell Engineering Center
360 Huntington Avenue
Boston, Massachusetts 02115
Social Media
Office
- 617.373.2989
Research Focus
design, synthesis, and evaluation of nanomaterials for various medical applications, including self-assembled chemistries, nanoparticles, nanotubes, and nanostructured surfaces
About
Joined the Chemical Engineering Department in Fall 2012.
The primary focus of our research is the design, synthesis, and evaluation of nanomaterials for various medical applications. This includes self-assembled chemistries, nanoparticles, nanotubes, and nanostructured surfaces. Medical applications include inhibiting bacteria growth, inflammation, and promoting tissue growth. Tissues of particular interest are bone, cartilage, skin, nervous system, bladder, cardiovascular, and vascular. There is also an interest in anti-cancer applications where nanomaterials can be used to decrease cancer cell functions without the use of pharmaceutical agents. There is also a large interest in developing in situ sensors which can sense biological responses to medical devices and respond in real time to ensure implant success. Lastly, there is an interest in understanding the environmental and human health toxicity of nanomaterials.
Education
- B.S. (Chemical Engineering) University of Pittsburgh, 1995
- Ph.D. (Biomedical Engineering) Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 2000
Honors & Awards
- Fellow, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineers
- Fellow, American Society for Nanomedicine
- Fellow, Biomaterials Science and Engineering
- Fellow, Biomedical Engineering Society
- Fellow, Ernst Strungmann Foundation
- Fellow, International College of Fellows – Biomaterials Science and Engineering
Research Overview
design, synthesis, and evaluation of nanomaterials for various medical applications, including self-assembled chemistries, nanoparticles, nanotubes, and nanostructured surfaces
Department Research Areas
Selected Publications
- J.S. Medeiros, A.M.Oliveira, J.O. de Carvalho, T.J. Webster, Nanohydroxyapatite/Graphene Nanoribbons Nanocomposites Induce in Vitro Osteogenesis and Promote in Vivo Bone Neoformation, ACS Biomaterials Science and Engineering, 4(5), 2018, 1580-1590
- Q. Wang, G. Mi, D. Hickey, T.J. Webster, Azithromycin-Loaded Respirable Microparticles for Targeted Pulmonary Delivery for the Treatment of Pneumonia Biomaterials, 160, 2018, 107-123
- G. Mi, D. Shi, W. Herchek, T.J. Webster, Self-assembled Arginine-Rich Peptides as Effective Antimicrobial Agents, Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A, 105(4), 2017, 1046-1054
- B.M. Geilich, I. Gelfat, S. Sridhar, T.J. Webster, Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide-Encapsulating Polymersome Nanocarriers for Biofilm Eradication, Biomaterials, 119, 2017, 78-85
- P. Tran, L. Sarin, R. Hurt, T.J. Webster, Titanium Surfaces with Adherent Selenium Nanoclusters as a Novel Anti-Cancer Orthopedic Material, Journal of Biomedical Materials Research, 93(4), 2014, 1417-1428
Sep 20, 2019
Treating Antibiotic-Resistant Infections
ChE Professor Thomas Webster and his colleagues are using bacteria to develop nanoparticles that will combat antibiotic-resistant infections.
Sep 12, 2019
ChE PhD students Bahram Saleh & Caterina Bartomeu Garcia are Finalists for Graduate Student Competition in Microbiointerface Research
Chemical Engineering PhD students Bahram Saleh and Caterina Bartomeu Garcia, from Professor Thomas Webster’s nanomedicine lab, have been called finalists for the upcoming AIChE 2019 annual meeting podium graduate student award competition in Microbiointerface Research. The students will be judged for the quality of the presentations and research on microbial interaction with biomedical interfaces.
Jun 10, 2019
Webster Co-Authors "Immune Aspects of BioPharmaceuticals and Nanomedicines
ChE Professor and Chair Tom Webster is a co-author of the new book “Immune Aspects of BioPharmaceuticals and Nanomedicines”.
May 08, 2019
Webster’s start up, Nanovis, Named MedTech Outlook Top 10 Orthopedic Solution Provider, 2019
Chemical Engineering Professor and Chair Tom Webster’s start up, Nanovis, Named MedTech Outlook Top 10 Orthopedic Solution Provider, 2019.
Apr 24, 2019
Webster Selected as a Fellow of the International Journal of Nanomedicine
Chemical Engineering Professor and Chair Thomas Webster was selected as a Fellow of the International Journal of Nanomedicine.
Mar 01, 2019
Fenniri and Webster Award Patent
ChE Professor & Chair Thomas Webster and Professor Hicham Fenniri received a patent entitled “Nanotubes and Compositions Thereof”, which describes their work to develop novel self-assembled materials for tissue engineering applications.
Feb 25, 2019
Webster Start-Up Accomplishment
Nanovis, one of Chemical Engineering Professor & Chair Tom Webster’s start-up companies, was recently recognized by Global Health & Pharma Magazine as the Best Nanotechnology Driven Implant Company, 2018.
Jan 09, 2019
Helping to Make Americans Live Longer
ChE Chair & Professor Thomas Webster is developing medicine at the nanoscale to help Americans live longer.
Jan 02, 2019
Webster Elected as Overseas Fellow
Chemical Engineering Professor and Chair Thomas Webster was recently elected as an Overseas Fellow to the Royal Society of Medicine (RSM) of the United Kingdom.
Oct 26, 2018
Biomaterials in Translational Medicine
ChE Professor & Chair Thomas Webster has published the book “Biomaterials in Translational Medicine” which delivers timely and detailed information on the latest advances in biomaterials and their role and impact in translational medicine.