OAE Future Science | Professor Donald A. Tomalia on the Future of Dendrimer Science and Nanomedicine
The 13th International Dendrimer Symposium (IDS13) was held in Stockholm, Sweden, from September 30 to October 2, 2026. During the symposium, Professor Xiangyang Shi of Donghua University, Editor-in-Chief of Nanomedicine Therapeutics, spoke with Professor Donald A. Tomalia, a pioneering figure in dendrimer science, about recent advances and future directions in the field.
The conversation focused on emerging developments in dendrimers and dendritic polymers, advances in the design of precisely controlled molecular architectures, and their potential applications in nanomedicine, particularly in drug delivery, gene delivery, and vaccine development. Drawing on his extensive research experience, Professor Tomalia also discussed the challenges of translating fundamental discoveries into practical applications and highlighted promising avenues for future research.
Interview Questions:
Q1. From your perspective, what are the most important scientific frontiers in dendrimer and dendron research today?
Q2. You have emphasized that molecular architecture can fundamentally change the properties and functions of a material. What new opportunities could emerge from designing polymers with increasingly precise and well-defined architectures?
Q3. Dendrimers have already shown great potential in drug delivery, gene delivery, vaccines, and other biomedical applications. What do you see as the next major breakthrough for dendrimer-based nanomedicine?
Q4. Dendrimer research has evolved from a fundamental concept in molecular architecture into a platform with applications across many disciplines. What major challenges do you think the field must overcome to move from promising laboratory concepts to broader real-world applications?
Q5. Finally, looking toward the next decade, what scientific questions or research directions would you encourage the next generation of researchers in dendritic polymers and nanomedicine to pursue?
About the Interviewee:
Prof. Donald A. Tomalia, a distinguished American chemist and discoverer of dendrimers, is the Founder and CEO of NanoSynthons LLC. He earned degrees from the University of Michigan and Michigan State University, and in 1979 achieved the first synthesis of PAMAM dendrimers. He co-founded Dendritech Inc. and Dendritic Nanotechnologies Inc., and established NanoSynthons LLC in 2010. Holding over 155 U.S. patents and having authored 275 peer-reviewed papers with more than 52,000 citations, he is a three-time R&D 100 Award winner, an AAAS Fellow (2016), and the recipient of the Distinguished Achievement Award of the Society of Polymer Science, Japan.
As part of the OAE Future Science interview series, this conversation underscores OAE’s commitment to fostering scientific exchange and sharing insights from leading researchers worldwide. The series brings together distinguished scholars from diverse disciplines to explore emerging discoveries, identify future research priorities, and promote interdisciplinary collaboration. OAE welcomes researchers worldwide to follow the series and join the conversation on the future of science.
Editor: Emily Wang
Language Editor: Emma Chen
Production Editor: Xingyue Luo
Respectfully Submitted by OAE Publishing Inc.
