McGill Chemical Society Seminar Series- Michael Malkoch: Blue-light triggered thiol–ene/yne chemistry of crosslinked networks suited for hard-tissue regeneration and infection control

Abstract: 

 Severe traumatic fractures frequently require open surgical interventions, where current fixation and regenerative strategies often lack adaptability to patient-specific needs. These procedures are also associated with a substantial risk of post-operative infection, highlighting the need for materials that can simultaneously support tissue repair while mitigating bacterial colonization. In this seminar, I will present our work on the design of precision polymer networks based on dendritic macromolecular building blocks and thiol–allyl-terminated triazine trione (TATO) monomers, using blue-light triggered thiol–ene chemistry as surgically viable on-demand crosslinking strategy. The proposed approach enables network formation under mild conditions and allows control over network architecture, crosslink density, and functional group presentation. Examples will include hydrolytically degradable, light-curable networks, yielding both charged and neutral materials. Applications relevant to fracture fixation, bone regeneration and infection control will be highlighted, including antibiotic-free antibacterial polymer networks. Emphasis will be placed on structure–property relationships and on how molecular design and thiol–ene network formation influence material and biological performance.

Bio:

Dr. Michael Malkoch is Professor of Functional Organic Nanomaterials at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, where he leads research at the interface of polymer chemistry, materials science, and biomedical engineering. He has received major competitive funding from the Swedish Research Council (VR) and the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, reflecting long-term support for fundamental and translational research in macromolecular design. The research of the Malkoch group focuses on the development of well-defined macromolecular architectures and precision polymer networks with controlled structure–property relationships. A central theme is the use of modular and efficient chemistries including thiol-ene/yne click reactions to enable spatiotemporal control over network formation under mild, biologically compatible conditions. These strategies allow the tailoring of mechanical performance, degradation behaviour, and biological function across a range of soft and hard tissue applications. Current research directions include light-curable materials for tissue fixation and regeneration, antibiotic-free antibacterial polymers and hydrogels designed to address challenges associated with bacterial resistance, and nanoscopic delivery systems based on dendritic and oligomeric platforms. His work spans molecular synthesis, materials characterization, and biological evaluation, with an emphasis on robustness, scalability, and translational relevance. Dr. Malkoch has authored approximately 150 peer-reviewed publications and is an inventor on more than 20 patents. He is actively involved in interdisciplinary collaborations and the training of graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in polymer chemistry and functional materials science.