from the long-and-winding-road dept.
During the 1980s and early 90s, starburst dendrimers, a type of complex, tree-like spherical branching polymer molecules, seemed to offer a promising avenue toward nanoscale applications. Enthusiasm has been tempered, at least in part, by the expense and difficulty of synthesizing them. Now, one of the leading researchers in dendrimer chemistry, Dr. Donald A. Tomalia at Central Michigan University, is working with Starpharma, an Australian pharmaceuticals firm, to develop products using "dendrimer nanotechnology". According to a Starpharma press release from 6 August 2001, the company will invest up to US$2.18 million over the next three years in Dendritic Nanotechnologies Limited, a new company which will have its head office in Melbourne and a branch office and laboratory at Central Michigan University. Dr Tomalia and his team of dendritic polymer scientists will be employed by the new company
Additional backgroound on Dr. Tomalia and his work with dendrimers can be found in a lengthy article ("Dendrimer's dad thinks he's finally tamed the money-munching molecule", by Jayne Fried, 26 July 2001) on the SmallTimes website.
