For many of us, there are teachers who leave an indelible mark on our lives, opening doors to new worlds of discovery and sparking a lifelong love for a subject.
For UNC-Chapel Hill chemistry professor Wei You, a series of teachers laid the groundwork for his love of science. During his last year of middle school in China, chemistry entered his life as an electrifying playground of discovery.
“Chemistry is really different from physics or biology. You get to see things burning and make explosions,” says You, whose eyes light up at the memory.
One experiment in particular stands out.
“You know, back in the day, photographers used magnesium for flashes because of how brightly it burns,” he explains. “My teacher showed us how a small strip of magnesium could ignite into this incredible, shiny, bright color. It was so exciting.”
These hands-on experiments were also transformative.
“I got really into it and eventually earned a spot at a very selective regional high school,” he says.
His passion for chemistry cemented, You went on to complete a PhD at the University of Chicago and then a postdoc at Stanford University before joining the chemistry and applied physical sciences departments at UNC-Chapel Hill in 2006. His research lab focuses on developing novel materials, particularly polymers.
Now, he is working on his second startup company, Delgen Biosciences, which is developing an advanced polymer design that aims to enhance the precision and effectiveness of protein drug delivery, particularly for treating retinal diseases like wet age-related macular degeneration — when abnormal blood vessels grow under the retina and lead to vision loss.
“I tell my students that chemistry is one of the few majors where we’re making anything new,” he says. “All new materials have to be created by molecular engineering at the fundamental level.”
Lessons in innovation
When You joined the Carolina chemistry department as an assistant professor, he was already dreaming big: He wanted to use polymers — large molecules made from many smaller molecules that have been chemically bonded together — to create solar cells. It was a bold move into an emerging area of renewable energy, one that aimed to challenge the dominance of traditional silicon-based solar technology.
Silicon, the backbone of computer chips and conventional solar panels, is highly efficient but comes with significant drawbacks. It’s fragile and expensive to manufacture because of the extensive refinement process.

You works in the Delgen Bioscience’s lab in the KickStart Venture Services accelerator space. (photo by Megan Mendenhall)
In contrast, polymer solar cells offered an appealing alternative. The proposed materials, known as conjugated polymers, are lightweight, pliable, and can absorb sunlight and convert it into electricity, just like silicon. And they open up possibilities for flexible, semi-transparent solar cells that could be integrated into everyday applications, such as powering mobile devices and other consumer electronics.
By 2010, You and his lab achieved a groundbreaking milestone. They created one of the world’s most efficient polymer solar cells at the time. This success laid the foundation for his first startup, SolOrganic. Despite early interest, including potential partnerships with companies like Mitsubishi Chemical, the company struggled to gain traction.
Its challenges stemmed from two main issues. First, intense competition made it tough to maintain a leading edge, as rivals could quickly come up with newer materials with higher efficiency when used in polymer solar cells. Second, while You’s team could produce small amounts of material in the lab, the scaling up required for mass production was challenging and costly. He and his partner worked hard for about two years, but ultimately, SolOrganic didn’t take off.
“I don’t regret it,” he reflects. “The experience taught me so much about startups: how to develop an idea, build a team, raise funds, and navigate the business landscape.”
Polymers for healing
Fast-forward to the spring of 2020 and the COVID-19 lockdown, when You and his team could not access their lab for about three months. During this time, they brainstormed and developed a new method of creating uniquely structured polymers capable of delivering proteins and small-molecule drugs for therapeutic purposes.
These nanomaterials, known as Molecular Brush Polymers (MBPs), are like custom-designed brushes that can carry more and larger protein molecules. Think of the brush as a long stick with lots of soft, tiny bristles attached to it. The bristles are special polymers that can store a medication and release it slowly over time, providing a steady and consistent treatment regimen.
While developing these materials, You chatted with a friend who has extensive knowledge on the therapeutics for wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a condition that You’s mother and father-in-law have. This disease impacts the macula, the part of the eye responsible for central vision, and is a leading cause of vision loss in older adults. It can significantly hinder daily activities like reading and driving and can sometimes lead to blindness.
A common treatment for patients with wet AMD involves injecting a small-molecule protein drug into the eye. But as drug levels in the body decrease, blurred vision returns. For these treatments to be effective, patients must receive regular injections, sometimes as often as every four weeks.
His friend explained that while scientists are trying to make polymers to carry more of the drug so its effects can last longer, no one had found a solution yet.
This got You thinking.
Next-gen drug delivery
You researched and studied the mechanism and, using the polymerization methodologies developed in his lab during the COVID-19 lockdown, linked the protein molecule in the medicine to his MBPs to treat wet AMD.
He compares the polymer to a “mothership” that can carry several “pods,” or doses of medication. Once the polymer is in the eye, it acts like a reservoir, storing the medication and gradually releasing it over time. This could reduce the need for injections from once a month to once every six months — or even longer — which improves patient buy-in, lowers infection risks, and requires fewer doctor visits, making the treatment more accessible for those with limited health care access.
You knew this polymer had a competitive advantage over the current treatment methods, so he decided to launch his second startup, Delgen Biosciences.
The company received funding from the National Institute of Health’s Small Business Innovation Research program. Today, it’s housed at KickStart Venture Services, a 7,500-square-foot wet lab accelerator space on Carolina’s campus. If all goes as planned, they hope to start clinical trials within the next five to seven years.
“Seeing your research, your idea becoming a reality with the potential of helping other people, including maybe even myself down the road, is very exciting,” he says with a smile.