Roberto Guzmán

Professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering
Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Investigator, Center for Toxicology
Roberto Guzman

Harshbarger 136D

520.621.6041
guzmanr@arizona.edu

Roberto Guzmán has been a chemical engineering professor at the University of Arizona since 1989. He has faculty joint appointments in biomedical engineering and pharmacology and toxicology at the University of Arizona. He also has an academic appointment as an international faculty in the Nanotechnology Program at the University of Sonora, Mexico. He has been a visiting professor at the University of Guanajuato, Mexico, at the University of Uppsala, Sweden and at the University of Technology in Compiegne, France, where he also has a visiting scholar appointment. He received a PhD in chemical engineering/biotechnology from North Carolina State University (NCSU) where he continued as a postdoc for a year before joining the University of Arizona. He received an MSc in chemical engineering from the University of Illinois, Chicago and a BS in chemical engineering from the University of Guanajuato, Mexico. His present research is in nanoparticle bio/technology and protein purifications with emphasis in metal-hybrid nanoparticles for diagnostics and target drug delivery therapy and discovery of biomarkers from biological fluids. Guzman's background has strong bases in molecular recognition, affinity technology, synthetic chemistry, applied biochemistry and mathematical modeling. The areas of research studied in his laboratory fall in the boundaries between synthetic chemistry, biology, medicine, polymer sciences and engineering and incorporate both experimental and theoretical work analysis.

Degrees

  • PhD Chemical Engineering -- Biotechnology
    • North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States
    • Affinity Purification of Biomolecules Using Ligand-Modified Surfactants
  • MS Chemical Engineering -- Catalysis
    • University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois, United States
    • Study of Catalytic Combustion for NOx Emission Control.
  • BS Chemical Engineering
    • University of Guanajuato, Guanajuato, Gto, Mexico
    • Treatment of Residual Waters in a Caprolactham and Ammonium Sulfate Chemical Plant.

Work Experience

  • University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (1989 - Ongoing)

Interests

Teaching

Developed seminar series, in biotechnology for undergraduate students from different disciplines relevant to engineering and its interaction with biotechnology. These students eventually are involved in research activities in laboratories throughout the university. Developed new courses in nanomedicine engineering, nanomaterials in drug delivery and have modified a bioprocessing course to include novel biomaterials and bioprocessing fields of interest and broader impact.
 

Research

The development of novel biomedical nanoparticle platforms for drug delivery, imaging and therapy. Main topics include: 1. Nano/biomolecular polymeric structures with encapsulated anticancer drugs and gold shells for dual cancer therapy that combines controlled and targeted drug delivery and infrared thermal ablation. 2. Nano/biomolecular multifunctional para-magnetic metal-hybrid nanoparticles for diagnostics and target NIR therapy. Presently developing novel nanoparticle bioconjugates for combination therapy of lung, pancreatic and breast cancer. Also developing novel multifunctional magnetic nanoparticles for biodiagnostics and novel therapeutic applications. 3. Development of novel specific adsorbents for low molecular weight biomarkers isolation and identification. Technology could be used not only for cancer biomarkers but potentially for any other disease that produces extraneous biomolecules.

Courses

View the full course list in UA Profiles.

Selected Publications

Journals/Publications

  • Guzmán, R. Z. (2019). Biosynthesis of gold and silver nanoparticles using Parkinsonia florida leaf extract and antimicrobial activity of silver nanoparticles. Materials Research Express, 6(9), 1-12. doi:doi.org/10.1088/2053-1591/ab2d8e
  • Guzmán, R. Z. (2019). Differential Response of BEAS-2B and H-441 Cells to Methylene Blue Photoactivation. ANTICANCER RESEARCH, 39(1), 3739-3744. doi:doi:10.21873/anticanres.13522
  • Guzmán, R. Z. (2019). Mathematical modeling and parametrical analysis of the temperature dependency of control drug release from biodegradable nanoparticles. RSC Adv., 9(1), 8728. doi:DOI: 10.1039/c9ra00821g
  • Guzmán, R. Z. (2019). Mathematical modeling and parametrical analysis of the temperature dependency of control drug release from biodegradable nanoparticles. Royal Society of Chemistry. doi:DOI: 10.1039/c9ra00821g
  • Guzmán, R. Z. (2019). Substrate-source flexibility of an exponential-fed perfusion process to produce plasmid DNA for use as leishmaniasis vaccine. Biotechnology & Biotechnological Equipment,, on line, 16. doi.org/10.1080/13102818.2018.1560232
  • Guzmán, R. Z. (2019). Substrate-source flexibility of an exponential-fed perfusion process to produce plasmid DNA for use as leishmaniasis vaccine. Biotechnology & Biotechnological Equipment, 33(1), 195-203. doi:DOI: 10.1080/13102818.2018.1560232
  • Guzmán, R. Z. (2018). Enhancement of pDNA Uptake and Expression in H441 Cells by Using PLGA Nanocarriers.. Microscopy and Microanalysis, 24(S1), 1414-1415. doi:doi:10.1017/S1431927618007559.
  • Guzmán, R. Z. (2018). Evaluation of a combined emulsion process to encapsulate methylene blue into PLGA nanoparticles. RSC Adv, 8, 414 - 422. DOI: 10.1039/c7ra12296a
  • Guzmán, R. Z. (2018). Hollow Gold Nanoshells Encapsulated in PNIPAM Nanoparticles. Microscopy and Microanalysis, 24(S1), 1794-1795. doi:doi:10.1017/S1431927618009455
  • Guzmán, R. Z. (2018). Mathematical modeling of the batch adsorption of proteins on new restricted access media with poly(ethylene glycol) as a semi-permeable barrier using compact finite differences. Brazilian Journal of Chemical Engineering., 35(1), 237–251. doi:dx.doi.org/10.1590/0104-6632.20180351s20160404.
  • Guzmán, R. Z. (2018). Plasmid-DNA lipid nanovaccines: An innovative approach for a better world health. In Lipid Nanocarriers for Drug Targeting. 2019 Elsevier Inc., 232-267. dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-813687-4.00006-2
  • Guzmán, R. Z. (2018). Plasmid-DNA lipid nanovaccines: An innovative approach for a better world health. Lipid Nanocarriers for Drug Targeting-Book. dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-813687-4.00006-2
  • Guzmán, R. Z. (2017). Aqueous-Organic Phase Transfer of Gold and Silver Nanoparticles Using Thiol-Modified Oleic Acid. Applied Sciences. doi:10.3390/app7030273
  • Guzmán, R. Z. (2017). Evaluation of a combined emulsion process to encapsulate methylene blue into PLGA nanoparticles.. Royal Society of Chemistry.
  • Guzmán, R. Z. (2017). Performance analysis of exponential-fed perfusion cultures for pDNA vaccines production. Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology, 92(2), 342–349.

Poster Presentations

  • Guzmán, R. Z., & Garcia-Soto, M. (2017, June). Gold derivatized nanocomposites for the effective detection, contrast imaging and thermal ablation in cancer research. AFFINITY 2017. The 22th Meeting of the International Society for Molecular Recognition International Society for Molecular Recognition.
  • Guzmán, R. Z., & Lucero, A. A. (2017, June). Polymeric nanoparticles for controlled drug delivery: Synthesis, modeling and application in vitro and in vivo to pancreatic cancer. AFFINITY 2017. The 22th Meeting of the International Society for Molecular Recognition. Paris, France: International Society for Molecular Recognition.
  • Guzmán, R. Z., Yan, S., & Wang, L. (2017, June). Affinity chelating liposomes for protein separations and effect of PEG on aggregation and binding interactions. AFFINITY 2017. The 22th Meeting of the International Society for Molecular Recognition. Paris, France: International Society for Molecular Recognition.
  • Guzmán, R. Z., Zheng, X. J., Cheung, L. S., Wang, L., Baygents, J. C., Schroeder, J. A., Heimark, R. L., & Zohar, Y. (2017, June). Antibody-functionalized microfluidic chamber arrays for specific binding of metastatic breast cancer cells. AFFINITY 2017. The 22th Meeting of the International Society for Molecular Recognition. Paris, France: International Society for Molecular Recognition.

Presentations

  • Guzmán, R. Z. (2017, June). Affinity Adsorption Chromatography Modulated by Polymer Permeation Control. A strategy to purify peptides and small proteins. AFFINITY 2017. The 22th Meeting of the International Society for Molecular Recognition. Paris, France: International Society for Molecular Recognition.
  • Guzmán, R. Z. (2017, May). Nanotecnología y Nanopartículas en Aplicaciones Biomédicas. Terapias Especificas para el Tratamiento de Cáncer. 4rd International Biotechnology Congress at Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla (UPAEP). Puebla, Pue., México.: Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla (UPAEP).
  • Guzmán, R. Z. (2017, October). Cancer Nanotechnology –Current Status and Future Opportunities–Perspectives from the NCI Alliance for Nanotechnology in Cancer. 2017 Annual Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology Symposium at the Universidad de Sonora. Hermosillo, Sonora Mexico: Departement of Physics, Universidad de Sonora.
  • Guzmán, R. Z. (2017, October). Nanotechnology and Biomedical Applications. Nanoparticles in Diagnostics and Specific Therapies for Cancer Treatment. 2017 Annual Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology Symposium at the Universidad de Sonora. Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico.: Department of Physics, Universidad de Sonora.
  • Guzmán, R. Z. (2017, September). Control Drug Delivery with Polymeric Nanoparticles”. 2do Simposio de Ingeniería de Procesos, Universidad Veracruzana. Xalapa, Veracruz, México: Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Veracruz, México.
  • Guzmán, R. Z. (2017, September). La Ingenieria Quimica/Bioquimica y Nanobiotecnologia. Tendencias, Oportunidades y Aplicaciones in Biomedicina. 6to Simposio Nacional de Ingeniería Química y Bioquímica Aplicada (SNQBA 2017). Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala. México: Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala.