At the UGA New Materials Institute, we believe that a material’s useful end-of-life should be considered at the design stage and that Green Engineering principles should be part of this process.
Student Profile: Ana Clara Caobianco
Ana Clara Caobianco recently graduated from the University of Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in public health. During her time at UGA, she worked two years at the UGA New Materials Institute. She talked to us recently about her experiences working at the UGA NMI and how they may impact her future.
Researchers at the University of Georgia New Materials Institute developed novel plasticizers derived from biobased furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid (FDCA) that were compatible with PHB-co-HHx, utilizing Hansen solubility parameters as a guide.
Student Profile: Jodie Stone
Jodie Stone graduated in 2025 from the University of Georgia with a double major in biology and music. Both programs are based the UGA Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. Her last academic year also marked Stone’s second stint working in the Industrial Microbiology Laboratory, under the direction of Dr. H. Travis Ichikawa, at the UGA New Materials Institute. The laboratory team focuses on sustainable production of biopolymers, including recovery and reuse of processed water. Stone talked to us about her experiences working at the UGA NMI and her future goals.
Nine polyesters made from AB monomers that can be derived from lignin were tested for this study including phloretic, coumaric and ferulic acids, and similar derivatives. Testing included monomer and polymer synthesis, thermal analysis, mechanical characterization, gel content, rheological characterization and chemical recycling.
Student Profile: Tiffanie Torrey
Tiffanie Torrey is an undergraduate student who works in Industrial Microbiology Laboratory at the University of Georgia New Materials Institute, under the direction of Dr. H. Travis Ichikawa. Torrey is pursuing a double major in ecology, through the Odum School of Ecology, and plant biology, through the Department of Plant Biology in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. She plans to go into environmental consulting work following her graduation. Torrey recently spoke with us about her experiences working at the UGA New Materials Institute and how her experiences might impact her future.
Researchers from the UGA New Materials Institute expanded upon the material-sparing tablet development (MSTD) method and found it can be applied to a wide variety of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). When combined with a lab-scale tablet press, the team found that formulations can be designed and tested using less than 20 grams of API in less than 14 days.
The Locklin Group at the University of Georgia New Materials Institute utilized industrially compostable elastomer resins Terratek FX1515 and Terratek GDH-B1FA, from Green Dot Bioplastics, in blends with PHB and PHB-co-HHx. The blends demonstrated improved toughness and microbially degraded more than 90 percent under industrial composting conditions within 120 days.
Researchers at the University of Georgia New Materials Institute now have access to a powerful new tool in their quest for biopolymers: the Sigray Eclipse XRM-910 Micro-CT. The x-ray instrument leads the field in zoom capabilities, software, phase retrieval, AI-enhanced routines, and spatial resolution down to 0.3 microns. It was acquired for UGA’s Georgia Electron Microscopy (GEM) core facility through a Major Research Instrument grant from the National Science Foundation.
A research team at the University of Georgia New Materials Institute used hot-melt extrusion and injection molding to create immediate release amorphous solid dispersion tablets, a process normally done in batches. Their novel formulation strategy reduces the multi-step process to two steps, thus decreasing the time and resources needed for manufacturing.
A research team, including four faculty from the UGA New Materials Institute, has created a novel, PVC-based mesh scaffolding for soft tissue disorders that can be 3D printed and has greater flexibility and biocompatibility than those currently in use.
