Eric C. Carnes, PhD

• 2008, PhD in Chemical Engineering, University of New Mexico
• 2003, MS in Chemical Engineering, University of New Mexico
• 2002, BS in Chemical Engineering, University of New Mexico

Dr. Carne's research focuses extensively on interdisciplinary research projects aimed at combining inorganic nanomaterials with biological materials and living cells to create novel solutions to problems in public health, agriculture, and the environment. His original work centered on the development of artificial matrices to enhance cell viability for use in biosensors for low-resource environments, which was well received has led to a consistent publication record in high-impact journals. This has generated considerable IP as well as funded proposals which seek to create new materials for a wide variety of cell-based devices for applications ranging from extreme-environment sensing and energy production to investigations of cell signaling pathways and collective cellular behavior. Originating from these initial materials, his research has branched out in several directions.

One thrust has been to use living cells to create novel hierarchical multiscale materials by combining self- assembly and lithography with lipids, ion channels, surface receptors, and nanoparticles for biological and materials applications. Such materials could also be used to develop a fundamental understanding of their assembly as well as the unique properties of the materials as more than the sum of their parts. Another thrust has been to use hybrid biomaterials to create artificial microenvironments that enable the study of clinical observable pathologies that are seemingly impossible to duplicate under laboratory conditions. These systems have been used to study pathogenesis, virulence, and latency in various drug-resistant microbes as well as tuberculosis and cancer. Harnessing the capabilities of these engineered environments could allow for further unveiling of the intricate mechanisms involved in cellular metabolism, facilitating greater control over these systems for improved diagnosis and treatment strategies for infectious disease. An additional use of these materials has been in the development of products designed to extend shelf life and usability for biological products, such ultra-stable vaccines against various pathogens that can be stored and room temperature and disseminated around the globe.

To further application of novel materials to be used to solve problems in biology, he extended his knowledge of these biotic/abiotic systems to create organic and inorganic nanoparticles and microparticles for use in targeted delivery of cancer therapeutics and medical countermeasures for applications in public health and chemical/biological defense with funding from the National Institutes of Health and Department of Defense. These particles have been designed to provide a flexible platform that could be quickly and easily adapted for rapid deployment in response to a wide variety of emerging infectious disease diagnosis and treatment applications.

Most recently, he worked extensively with the Department of Defense to transfer these hybrid nano/biotechnologies from the academic research environment to the battlefield. Advanced applie research has resulted in new capabilities for detecting and preserving valuable biological materials. Further efforts in manufacturability and reproducibility have allowed me to assist multiple facets within DoD in acquiring and deploying these new capabilities around the globe.

• Butler KS, Durfee PN, Theron C, Ashley CE, Carnes EC, Brinker CJ. Protocells: Modular Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticle‐Supported Lipid Bilayers for Drug Delivery. Small. 2016;12(16):2173-85.
• Townson JL, Lin Y-S, Agola JO, Carnes EC, Leong HS, Lewis JD, Haynes CL, Brinker CJ. Re-examining the size/charge paradigm: differing in vivo characteristics of size-and charge-matched mesoporous silica nanoparticles. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 2013;135(43):16030-3.
• Tarn D, Ashley CE, Xue M, Carnes EC, Zink JI, Brinker CJ. Mesoporous silica nanoparticle nanocarriers: biofunctionality and biocompatibility. Accounts of chemical research 2013;46(3):792-801.
• Pascal J, Ashley CE, Wang Z, Brocato TA, Butner JD, Carnes EC, Koay EJ, Brinker CJ, Cristini V. Mechanistic modeling identifies drug-uptake history as predictor of tumor drug resistance and nano-carrier-mediated response. ACS nano. 2013;7(12):11174-82.
• Dengler EC, Liu J, Kerwin A, Torres S, Olcott CM, Bowman BN, Armijo L, Gentry K, Wilkerson J, Wallace J. Mesoporous silica-supported lipid bilayers (protocells) for DNA cargo delivery to the spinal cord. Journal of controlled release. 2013;168(2):209-24.

• American Institute for Chemical Engineers
• American Chemical Society
• Materials Research Society
• Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society