Patent ID: 8440309

Claim:
A polymer precursor comprising a formula wherein 1≦n≦500,000, and m≧2; C=represents a core molecule; R 1 =—H, or an amino acid side chain; R 2 =an alkyl group; and R 3 =an electrophilic functional group selected from the group consisting of —CO 2 N(COCH 2 ) 2 , —CO 2 H, —CHO, —CHOCH 2 , —N═C═O, —SO 2 CH═CH 2 , —N(COCH 2 ) 2 , and —S—S—(C 5 H 4 N), or a nucleophilic functional group selected from the group consisting of —NH 2 , —SH, —OH, —PH 2 , and —CO—NH—NH 2 .