PhD Eugenia Kumacheva

Dr. Eugenia Kumacheva is a multi award-winning researcher whose work truly is on the leading edge. Originally from Odessa, in southern Ukraine (formerly part of the Soviet Union), she worked at Moscow State University for four years, studied at the prestigious Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel for three, and eventually came to Canada in 1995.

Fresh back from a trip to Paris where she accepted yet another prestigious award, the L’Oreal-UNESCO Women in Science Award, Dr. Kumacheva is back in her laboratory at the University of Toronto. Each year, the honour is accorded to five women from around the world (one from each continent) whose research in any area of science is outstanding. This is the first year a Canadian was on the winners list.

Dr. Kumacheva has no fewer than 10 award plaques decorating her office wall. Her awards include becoming a recipient of the Canada Research Chair in Advanced Polymer Materials (1992 and 2006), the Clara Benson Award (2004), the Macromolecular Science and Engineering CIC Award (2005), and more. In 2007, she was elected as a Fellow to the Royal Society of Canada.

Her area of expertise? Polymers -- details of what they are, how they work, and how new ones can be created. Polymers are molecules with repeating structural units and abound in the natural world us. Examples include proteins, polysaccharides, and nucleic acids. Manufactured or synthetic polymers include paint, plastics, the material tires are made of, and more.

For Dr. Kumacheva polymers (and polymer-based nanotechnology) offer a world of possibilities and her research has focussed on several intriguing applications. One is developing specific types of polymers as drug delivery systems – using fragments of proteins that are able to carry cancer-killing drugs into cancer cells.

Another is developing materials for new optical storage devices. Existing devices, such as compact discs (CDs) use a two-dimensional format for storing information on their surfaces. But materials with a crystal-like three-dimensional format could store much more – say, 100,000 gigabytes of data in a device the size of a fresh blueberry. These 3D devices would consist of a matrix of billions of minute latex spheres with information burned onto them using laser pulses. The technology would be used in new types of computers and telecommunications.

Dr. Kumacheva is also working with other researchers to create surfaces on which stem cells can grow in a controlled fashion. This holds promise in tissue engineering; growing tissue that can be used to repair wounds or defects.

In short, if it can be made with a polymer, Dr. Kumacheva will be there at the forefront.

For further information, please contact PhD Eugenia Kumacheva using the Email contact form or by phone at 416 978-3576