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Aline Miller
Aline Miller in 2018
Born
Aline Fiona Miller

October 1975 (age 49)
Alma materDurham University
University of Strathclyde
SpouseAlberto Saiani
Scientific career
FieldsSelf-assembly
Polymers
Peptides
Biomaterials
Fluid surfaces
InstitutionsUniversity of Manchester
University of Cambridge
University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology
ThesisOrganisation and dynamics of well-defined graft copolymers at the air-water interface (2000)
Doctoral advisorRandal Richards[1]
Websitewww.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/aline.miller.html

Aline Fiona Miller (born 1975[2]) is a Professor of Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Manchester. She specialises in the characterisation of polymer, biopolymer and peptides, using neutron and x-ray scattering, as well as the development of functionalised nanostructures for regenerative medicine and toxicology testing.

Early life and education

Miller studied Chemistry at the University of Strathclyde and graduated in 1997.[3] She was an undergraduate exchange student at Franklin & Marshall College.[3] Miller joined Durham University as a post graduate student, earning a PhD in 2000 under the supervision of Randal Richards.[3] Miller worked on graft copolymers, which included polynorbornene and polyethylene oxide, and studied their organisation at air-water interfaces.[1] After completing her doctorate, Miller moved to New Hall, Cambridge, where she was appointed a Junior Research Fellow and worked with Athene Donald on cellulose.[4][5][6][7] She was inspired to have a career in research during this fellowship.[8]

Research and career

Miller joined the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST) in 2002.[9] She was made a full Professor in 2014.[3] She currently works in CEAS - Academic & Research Department of Chemical Engineering & Analytical Science at the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology. She investigates the behaviour of molecules at different interfaces, including the air-liquid and liquid-liquid interface. Surfactants and polymers can be used to promote or inhibit the crystallisation of small molecules, for example the use of hydroxyl based polymers in the crystallisation of ice cream. To mimic how fish use macromolecules to stop their blood freezing, Miller combines antifreeze proteins with ice crystals.[9] In 2004 Miller established the University of Manchester Polymers & Peptides Research Group.[4] Here she works on the characterisation of polymer, biopolymer and peptides, using neutron and x-ray scattering. The in-depth characterisation of these materials allows Miller to tailor them for specific applications.[9]

Miller also works in biomedical engineering, creating three-dimensional scaffolds through the control of proteins and peptides.[9][10] She explores the relationship between mesoscopic structure, material properties and cell response.[11][12] She has studied how proteins self-assemble, including what causes them to unfold and form fibril structures.[13][14][15] The morphology (roughness, porosity) and mechanical properties (such as Young's modulus and viscosity) can be controlled through self-assembly.[4] The self-assembling peptides can be conjugated with polymers that are sensitive to pH and temperature. Through the synthesis of short peptides with various amino acid sequences the Miller group are studying the self-assembly of Beta sheets.[16] She has developed a biocompatible, biodegradable cardiac patch, created from a thick porous scaffold coated with a material that mimics the extracellular matrix.[17] She also studies the degradation mechanism of these materials.[18]

Miller was awarded a small grant from the University of Manchester to develop the synthesis of peptide-based hydrogels.[19] The synthetic peptide hydrogels were so successful that she set up the spin-out company PeptiGelDesign, a group which worked to commercialise hydrogel technologies.[20] Since 2008 PeptiGelDesign have raised over £6 million in funding.[20] Recognising the reach and potential of PeptiGelDesign, the company relaunched as Manchester BIOGEL in 2018, continuing to offer peptide-based hydrogels amongst other biomaterials.[21] The hydrogels can be used to improve the quality of drug toxicity testing, DNA sensing and regenerative medicine.[21][22]

Awards and honours

Her awards and honours include;

Personal life

Miller is married to Alberto Saiani, a materials scientist at the University of Manchester. They have three children.[24][dead link‍]

References

  1. ^ a b Miller, Aline Fiona (2000). Organisation and dynamics of well-defined graft copolymers at the air-water interface (PhD thesis). Durham University. EThOS uk.bl.ethos.342916.
  2. ^ "Aline Fiona SAIANI p". Companies House. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d "Prof Aline Miller | The University of Manchester". www.research.manchester.ac.uk. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  4. ^ a b c "Polymers and Peptides". www.polymersandpeptides.co.uk. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  5. ^ Miller, Aline F.; Donald, Athene M. (1 May 2003). "Imaging of Anisotropic Cellulose Suspensions Using Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy". Biomacromolecules. 4 (3): 510–517. doi:10.1021/bm0200837. ISSN 1525-7797. OCLC 1015409507. PMID 12741764.
  6. ^ "Prof Athene Donald presents the 2014 Rideal Award Lecture". www.soci.org. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  7. ^ Miller, Aline F.; Donald, Athene M. (1 December 2002). "Surface and Interfacial Tension of Cellulose Suspensions". Langmuir. 18 (26): 10155–10162. doi:10.1021/la0258300. ISSN 0743-7463.
  8. ^ Science and Engineering at Manchester (29 January 2016), Who or what inspired Prof Aline Miller's scientific interests?, retrieved 6 April 2019
  9. ^ a b c d "Prof Aline Miller". University of Manchester. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  10. ^ Yan, Hui; Saiani, Alberto; Gough, Julie E.; Miller, Aline F. (1 October 2006). "Thermoreversible Protein Hydrogel as Cell Scaffold". Biomacromolecules. 7 (10): 2776–2782. doi:10.1021/bm0605560. ISSN 1525-7797. OCLC 922375857. PMID 17025352.
  11. ^ Science and Engineering at Manchester (29 January 2016), What is Prof Aline Miller researching?, retrieved 6 April 2019
  12. ^ Manchester BIOGEL (11 December 2018), Manchester BIOGEL Interview with Aline Miller, retrieved 6 April 2019
  13. ^ "Polymers&Peptides Research Group Website". personalpages.manchester.ac.uk. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  14. ^ "Polymers&Peptides Research Group Website". personalpages.manchester.ac.uk. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  15. ^ Donald, Athene M.; Dobson, Christopher M.; Dunlop, Iain E.; Miller, Aline F.; MacPhee, Cait E.; Krebs, Mark R. H. (5 October 2004). "The formation of spherulites by amyloid fibrils of bovine insulin". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 101 (40): 14420–14424. Bibcode:2004PNAS..10114420K. doi:10.1073/pnas.0405933101. ISSN 0027-8424. OCLC 722879264. PMC 521966. PMID 15381766.
  16. ^ "Polymers&Peptides Research Group Website". personalpages.manchester.ac.uk. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  17. ^ "New scaffold for cardiac patch (Manchester eScholar Services - The University of Manchester)". www.escholar.manchester.ac.uk. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  18. ^ Vey, Elisabeth Vey; Roger, Caroline; Meehan, Liz; Booth, Jonathan; Claybourn, Mike; Miller, Aline F.; Saiani, Alberto (2008). "Degradation mechanism of poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid block copolymer cast films in phosphate buffer solution". Polymer Degradation and Stability. 93 (10): 1869–1876. doi:10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2008.07.018.
  19. ^ "Commercialisation | Manchester Institute of Biotechnology". www.mib.ac.uk. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  20. ^ a b "PeptiGelDesign Ltd.: Private Company Information - Bloomberg". www.bloomberg.com. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  21. ^ a b MancBIOGEL (18 June 2018). "PeptiGelDesign relaunches as Manchester BIOGEL". Manchester BIOGEL. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  22. ^ Kumar, Deepak; Workman, Victoria L.; O'Brien, Marie; Felicity, Rose; Miller, Aline; Saiani, Alberto; Gough, Julie E. (2016). "Frontiers | A postoperative treatment for Barrett's oesophagus using an injectable, therapeutic peptide hydrogel". doi:10.3389/conf.fbioe.2016.01.00741. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  23. ^ a b c d e "Prof Aline Miller - Prizes". University of Manchester. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  24. ^ a b "Professor Aline Miller". Royal Society. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  25. ^ "Polymers&Peptides Research Group Website". personalpages.manchester.ac.uk. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  26. ^ "PPG/DPOLY Polymer Lecture Exchange". www.iop.org. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  27. ^ "Past Award Winners". Macro Group UK. 20 April 2016. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  28. ^ "2014 Philip Leverhulme Prize for Engineering". University of Manchester. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  29. ^ "WORLDbytes – The School of Citizen TV » WISE Research Award: Professor Aline F. Miller". Retrieved 6 April 2019.
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