Unravelling Design Rules For Creating Water Purification Membranes Based On Immobilized Aquaporin Proteins

水通道蛋白负责调节植物和动物细胞中的选择性水运输。独特的是，水通道蛋白不会在选择性和水渗透性之间妥协，这是传统膜技术所缺乏的品质。水通道蛋白在多孔材料中的包封和固定化可以导致开发稳定的、选择性的和快速的水传输膜。该项目的总体目标是探索孔的几何形状和化学功能，以找到在多孔材料中固定水蛋白的最佳性能。该项目将揭示的设计规则将用于为联合实验计算项目寻求后续资金，以制造水通道蛋白固定的水净化膜，该膜将实现为缺乏饮用水的社会提供清洁水的变革性进展。

Aquaporin proteins are responsible for regulating selective water transport in plant and animal cells. Uniquely, aquaporins do not compromise between selectivity and water permeability, a quality that the conventional membrane technology lacks. The encapsulation and immobilization of aquaporins in porous materials can lead to the development of stable, selective and fast water transporting membranes. The overall aim of this project is to explore pore geometries and chemical functionalities in order to find the optimum properties for immobilizing aquaproteins in porous materials. The design rules that will be uncovered as a result of this project will then be used to seek follow on funding for a joint experimental-computational project to manufacture aquaporin-immobilized water purification membranes that will achieve transformative advances for providing clean water to societies deprived of potable water.