Research interest in the Scott group is focused on the design, synthesis, and characterization of advanced organic materials utilizing the tools of organic chemistry to create macromolecules for application in the biomedical field. A major goal of ours is to develop new materials with specific properties from a “design” approach using our expertise in organic synthesis to synthesize them. For the last five years I have been working in the field of polymer chemistry and small molecules fluorescent probes. We have developed pH responsive polymer brush for the separation of peptides and proteins, as well as conducting polymers for organic devices. We have also worked with small molecules for pH and HOCl responsive probes. Knowledge gained from these projects laid the ground work for the proposed ideas presented in this proposal. All these research projects were conducted by graduate and undergraduate students under my leadership, during my appointment at Southern Illinois University. I have recently begun an appointment at Mississippi State University, where I am continuing to develop my research interests and work with graduate and undergraduate students to prepare them for their future careers in biomedical science. I am dedicated to developing a research group environment that prepares graduate and undergraduate students in undertaking independent scientific research, stimulates their minds to think critically, and develop their own creative abilities, while contributing to the welfare of their society. I am dedicated to training all students. I am very committed to diversity and working with underrepresented minority, female and first generation college students. In these regards, I have had great success. Since my appointment at Southern Illinois University in 2010, I have successfully advised five (5) doctoral students to the completion of their degrees, and served as a member on several other doctoral students’ defense committees, an accomplishment of which I am proud. I am even more proud of the number of undergraduate students that have chosen to receive their research experience in my lab, three (3) of whom have successfully published. I have worked with 4 underrepresented minority students of which three were female. It should be noted that due to personal obligations with my spouse, my professional career was briefly disrupted, and I was able to transfer my science from Southern Illinois University to Mississippi State University. Consequently, I am currently rebuilding my research group, and I am dedicated to developing a diverse research-intensive environment, facilitated by graduate and undergraduate students.