Liquidia Co-Founder, UNC Graduate Receives Award for Outstanding Doctoral Research
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Aug. 20 /PRNewswire/ — Dr. Jason Rolland, Senior Scientist and Co-founder of Liquidia Technologies and a 2005 doctoral graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), is the recipient of the prestigious 2007 National Starch & Chemical Company Award for Outstanding Graduate Research in Polymer Science and Engineering. Dr. Rolland received the award at the American Chemical Society meeting on August 19th in Boston, MA.
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The Award recognizes a current or recent graduate student with the most outstanding Ph.D. thesis in polymer science and engineering accepted by a U.S. or Canadian university. Nominees for the Award are judged on the basis of their personal contributions to the research, the quality and level of innovation demonstrated, and the impact on the field of synthetic polymers or bipolymers.
Dr. Rolland’s thesis, which he wrote under the direction of Professor Joseph DeSimone, examined novel applications of perfluoropolyether (PFPE) materials. According to Rolland’s research, PFPEs have wide ranging applications that include antifouling coatings, microfluidics, mold-based lithography for nano-patterned films, and nanoparticle fabrication.
“Since the 1960s PFPEs have been used for niche applications such as lubricants and greases,” explains Professor DeSimone. “Jason’s thesis explores exciting opportunities to expand the use of PFPEs to areas which exploit their unique properties, and opens the door to applications yet to be discovered. He has added a new chapter to the field of fluoropolymer research and is fully deserving of this award.”
Recognizing the market need for precisely engineered nanoparticles and films, Rolland and colleagues from UNC founded Liquidia Technologies in 2004 to exploit the unique properties of PFPEs for applications ranging from delivery systems for biological therapeutics to nano-structured optical films. Liquidia is currently advancing products in the materials and life science sectors through internal development efforts and partnerships with Fortune 500 companies.
Robert Henn, CTO of Liquidia, notes, “The fundamental discoveries that Jason made during his studies at UNC have been immensely valuable as we continue to develop a robust nanotechnology product platform for particles and films. Jason is a rare scientist, one in a hundred, who makes an impact in industry immediately after making the transition from academia.”
Sponsored by National Starch & Chemical Company, Rolland will receive a cash prize, plaque, and travel expenses to the ACS Meeting for winning the Award.
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Liquidia Technologies
CONTACT: Elle Pishny of Liquidia Technologies, +1-919-451-1345, orelle.pishny@liquidia.com
Web site: http://www.liquidia.com/