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RESEARCH THEMES

Building a dielectric map of the cell

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The biological cell has been known to interact with electromagnetic stimuli for centuries. Although progress is encouraging (see this book), we are still far from building a precise map to understand how electric fields and magnetic fields interact with various parts of the cell.

 

Using techniques from impedance spectroscopy, In Vitro biochemistry and microscopy, we seek to understand the electrical basis of the cell. As biophysicists, we aim to understand how electromagnetic stimuli influence various intracellular targets with special emphasis on proteins. Also as engineers, we then use our understanding to optimize disease-treatment using electromagnetic stimuli. Our present interests are centred around understanding the electromagnetic properties of proteins polymers of tubulin and actin, microtubules and actin filaments respectively (see previous work in Kalra et al., 2023a; Kalra et al., 2020).

Developing protein-based nanotechnology

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Silicon-based electronic waste is the fastest growing category of sold waste in the world (Ogunseitan et al., 2022). Biologically-sourced materials have been shown to hold promise as the building-blocks of nanotechnological devices, but their electronic properties are still poorly understood (Kalra et al., 2023b; Vahidzadeh et al., 2018).

 

Using time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy, computational tools and In Vitro biochemistry, we aspire to understand how earth-abundant proteins can be put to use in a electronic devices. We seek to develop devices which can transduce electronic and electrochemical information to mechanical and biochemical reactions. Ultimately, our work will enhance the development of large-scale sustainable materials, reducing our reliance on silicon-based nanotechnology.

Seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher for a project titled
TWO-DIMENSIONAL TUBULIN SHEETS FOR BIORESPONSIVE SOLAR CELLS


SUMMARY

Organic photovoltaics (OPVs) have made great progress over the past two decades, but two problems remain: (1) the solvents used in OPVs are still highly environmentally toxic and/or explosive and (2) water vapour from ambient surroundings degrades OPV structure, limiting long-term performance.

 

Instead of exploring artificial organic macromolecules as active materials, we seek to overcome these obstacles by using two-dimensional polymers of the naturally abundant protein tubulin. Tubulin 'sheets' will act as ultraviolet light absorbing layers, transferring electronic energy to zinc oxide nanoclusters, leading to charge separation. Although we have already shown that microtubules (cylindrical polymers of tubulin) are unexpectedly efficient light harvesters, the morphology of a tubulin sheet confers kinetic advantages over that of a microtubule. Consequently, tubulin sheets promise superiority as protein polymers structurally resembling graphene. Once tubulin sheet-based solar cells are fabricated, we will use tubulin-interacting drugs and other proteins to tailor the photochemical properties of our solar cells. Ultimately, the goal is to fabricate a solar cell that is responsive to the addition of drugs and proteins.

Keywords: Photovoltaics, Bioelectronics, Electron transfer, Biointerfaces.

Pre-requisites: Project is both computational and experimental, both wet-lab experience and knowledge of quantum chemical simulations are essential.
Duration: 24 months 
Number of publications achieved: 2

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