CAREER: Protein Templates for Controlling Inorganic Nanoparticle Formation and Assembly

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With the support of the Inorganic, Bioinorganic and Organometallics Chemistry Program, Professor Ivan J. Dmochowski, of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania proposes to exploit the geometry, assembly properties, and synthetic flexibility of ferritin proteins for the design of novel inorganic biomaterials. The Dmochowski group will employ experiment and computation to explore the range of stable amino acid mutations and modifications on the interior of ferritin proteins for the synthesis of mono- and bimetallic nanoparticles as well as semiconductors. By controlling the ligands inside the protein and the reaction conditions, it will be possible to direct the synthesis of materials with novel optical, electronic, magnetic, and catalytic properties. He will also employ experiment and computation to modify the interior and exterior of ferritin proteins for the synthesis of metal-protein-metal or semiconductor-protein-metal sandwich complexes. Finally, his group will covalently attach DNA and other moieties to the surface of ferritin in order to control the assembly of these nanoparticles. This research program will extend frontiers at the interface of protein design, chemical synthesis, and nanoscience and will result in several new inorganic biomaterials. The educational activities complement this research, and follow from his mission to make Chemistry accessible and relevant to the public. Advances in undergraduate education will be made in a General Chemistry course, by incorporating active learning, wireless feedback, and real-world examples to engage the class in the scientific process. Dmochowski will expand a graduate course in Biomolecular Imaging to include hands-on laboratory exercises in single-molecule spectroscopy, total internal reflection fluorescence and confocal microscopies. Finally, mentored research opportunities in the laboratory will be extended to students of various ages, in collaboration with the NSF-sponsored Nano/Bio Interface Center (NBIC). Through NBIC-sponsored community outreach activities, Dmochowski will work to educate the public about the importance of Chemistry in nanoscience and technology.