Shawn Wettig

Dr. Wettig's research focuses on the design, synthesis and characterization of novel surfactants with an eye toward their application in drug delivery. His current research projects are focused on the study of novel cationic lipid DNA complexes with potential application to genetic therapies, the characterization of novel amino acid derivatives for transdermal drug delivery, and the development of fluorescent surfactants for mechanistic studies.

• Design, synthesis and characterization of novel surfactants

• Application of surfactants to drug delivery and gene therapy

• Characterization of lipid membranes using biophysical methods

• Drug Discovery, Design and Delivery

• Thernostic Materials

• Biochemistry and Biophysics

• Bionanotechnology and Biosensors

• Soft Matter

• Molecular Genetics

• Molecular Therapeutics and Theranostics

• Pharmacokinetics

• 2000 PhD Physical Chemistry (University of Saskatchewan)

• 1995 BSc Chemistry & Physics (University of Lethbridge)

• 2017 Outstanding Performance Award, University of Waterloo

• Associate Editor, Journal of Surfactants and Detergents

• Chartered Chemist (Association of the Chemistry Professionals of Ontario)

• Member of the Canadian Society for Chemistry (Chemical Institute of Canada)

• Cross-appointed to Department of Chemistry and Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo

• Member of the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology

• PHARM 605 - Physical Chemistry and Application of Surfactants
  • Taught in 2022
• PHARM 617 - Formulations
  • Taught in 2020, 2024

* Only courses taught in the past 5 years are displayed.

• Ahmed T, Kamel AO, Wettig SD. Interactions between DNA and gemini surfactant: Impact on gene therapy: Part I. Nanomedicine (Lond). 2016;11(3):289-306.

• Ahmed T, Kamel AO, Wettig SD. Interactions between DNA and gemini surfactant: Impact on gene therapy: Part II. Nanomedicine (Lond). 2016;11(4):403-420.

• Akbar J, Tavakoli N, Marangoni DG, Wettig SD. Mixed aggregate formation in gemini surfactant/1,2-dialkyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine systems. J Colloid Interface Sci. 2012;377(1):237-243.

• Fereidooni Moghadam T, Azizian S, Wettig S. Synergistic behaviour of ZnO nanoparticles and gemini surfactants on the dynamic and equilibrium oil/water interfacial tension. Phys Chem Chem Phys. 2015;17(11):7122-7129.

• Sum CH, Chong JY, Wettig S, Slavcev RA. Separation and purification of linear covalently closed deoxyribonucleic acid by Q-anion exchange membrane chromatography. J Chromatogr A. 2014;1339:214-218.

• Sum CH, Nafissi N, Slavcev RA, Wettig S. Physical characterization of gemini surfactant-based synthetic vectors for the delivery of linear covalently closed (LCC) DNA ministrings. PLoS One. 2015;10(11):e0142875.

• Sum CH, Wettig S, Slavcev RA. Impact of DNA vector topology on non-viral gene therapeutic safety and efficacy. Curr Gene Ther. 2014;14(4):309-329.

• Slavcev, Roderick, Wettig, Shawn. Lipoplexed Safe DNA. U.S. Provisional Patent Application. 2009. USPTO.

• November, 2018: New gold nanoparticle cancer therapy technique could help animals and humans