Brook Group Research Interests, McMaster University

Our research is driven both by curiousity, and a desire to apply our discoveries to practical problems. As a result, we design our projects such that they can lead to scientific papers, and also patents. This strategy optimizes our ability to obtain funding and facilitates chances for coworkers to interact with industrial collaborators. I

The primary focus for our group is the synthesis and utilization of compounds containing silicon to form interesting materials.. Most of my groups current work involves controlling interfaces. The three main areas are listed below. The first two involve controlling behavior of biological molecules or cells at interfaces or silicone or silica. The third involves using structuring metal using novel polymeric surfactants. For details of these or other projects please contact Mike Brook.

To achieve our reearch goals, we utilize instruments in our lab including GC, GPC, the excellent NMR, X-ray, Infra-Red, andMass Spec, facilities of the chemistry department, and the imaging facilities (AFM, SEM, TEM, confocal microscopy of the Brockhouse Institute for Materials Research. In addition, we access tissue culture, radioactivity assays and fluorescence microscopy facilities in chemical engineering, and undertake animal studies in the McMaster University Hospital.


Silicone Biomaterials	Protein Doped Minerals: Bioactive Paper and Bioaffinity Assays	Organic Reactive Surfactants: Structuring Interfaces