Graduate Seminar| Unlocking Material Designs with Smart Tools and Machine Learning, by Professor Frank Gu

Frank Gu is the Director of the Institute for Water Innovation Director at the University of Toronto, NSERC Senior Industrial Research Chair in Nanotechnology Engineering, co-director of Formulation Self-Driving Labs at the Acceleration Consortium, and Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry. A leading expert in nanotechnology engineering, his research has driven advancements in functional nanomaterials for healthcare and environmental applications. Gu’s research applies nanoscience to industrial challenges, including ocular drug delivery, medical devices, catalysis, and water treatment. His lab pioneered buoyant photocatalysts powered by sunlight for treating industrial wastewater and founded H2nanO Inc. to commercialize eco-friendly water treatment solutions. He has also developed nanomaterials for anterior ocular disease treatment, leading to long-lasting medicated eye drops and collaborations with medical device companies. His current research spans AI-powered nanomedicine formulation, climate-resilient water treatment technologies, and critical mineral recovery from waste. He is also the co-recipient of the 2023 NSERC Brockhouse Prize for Interdisciplinary Research for his work in developing innovative drug delivery vehicles in collaboration with clinicians.

This seminar highlights how materials science innovations are addressing challenges in healthcare and environmental sustainability. Our research focuses on designing functional polymers, nanomaterials, and advanced analytical tools to drive breakthroughs in drug delivery and water treatment. We developed magnesium ion (Mg(II)) crosslinked hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogels, a biocompatible platform with tunable properties to overcome limitations in ocular drug delivery, such as low bioavailability and frequent dosing. These materials are optimized using the Direct Saturation Compensated (DISCO) NMR technique, which was developed in our lab. DISCO NMR provides molecular-level insights into polymer-mucin interactions and has become an open-source standard for guiding the design of mucoadhesive materials. Coupled with machine learning, it accelerates the discovery of functional polymers. Complementing this, we have advanced nanocrystal growth techniques, tailoring nanoparticles for catalysis and medical applications, including gold nanoparticle-based contact lenses with light-filtering capabilities. Our environmental work leverages solar photocatalysis to treat industrial wastewater, which has been commercialized through H2nanO. Our research demonstrates how materials innovation can transform therapeutic technologies and promote sustainable environmental practices by integrating molecular insights with scalable solutions.