News & Events

Speaker: Professor Ashok Venkitaraman
Affiliation: Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine & National University Health System (NUHS)
Abstract Details:

How the folding, transport and biological functions of intracellular proteins are executed within the complex environment of living cells is poorly understood. Ashok Venkitaraman’s laboratory has used the breast cancer suppressor protein, BRCA2, as a model to study these problems. Inherited mutations in the BRCA2 gene predispose humans to cancers of the breast, ovary, prostate, pancreas and other organs. Human BRCA2 encodes a massive 3418 amino acid protein that is transported to the cell nucleus to execute essential biological functions that maintain the integrity of the human genome. 

In this talk, Prof Venkitaraman will discuss studies that combine biophysical, structural and cell biological methods to explain how BRCA2 interacts with key partner proteins to fold, localize and execute its biological functions. 

These studies provide an experimental testbed for the development of new computational approaches to predict intracellular protein structure and function.

Professor Ashok Venkitaraman is the Director of the Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, and a Distinguished Professor of Medicine at NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, a member of the National University Health System (NUHS). He holds a joint appointment at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR).

Prof Venkitaraman’s research has contributed fundamentally to our understanding of how cancer is suppressed by genes that maintain the integrity of DNA in the human genome. His laboratory is recognized for the discovery that mutations in the breast and ovarian cancer gene, BRCA2, provoke genome instability leading to carcinogenesis. Prof Venkitaraman now seeks to achieve a deeper understanding of the steps that underlie carcinogenesis, in order to find new strategies to intercept cancer development well before the disease reaches an advanced and hard-to- treat stage. He has developed new technologies to target previously ‘undruggable’ targets,  and is a serial biotech entrepreneur, most recently as a founder of PhoreMost Ltd.

Prof. Venkitaraman has been elected a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, London, and as a member of EMBO.

Discussion moderators : Associate Prof Shaffique Adam (Host, NUS), Prof Konstantin Novoselov (NUS) and Prof Vinicius Rosa (NUS)

The webinar is over. You may watch the recorded video on our YouTube page at https://youtu.be/VuPm8Gbz-s0

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Speaker: Professor Peter Strasser
Affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Technical University Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Abstract Details:

The rising share of renewable electricity is testament to the increasing importance of solar-electric routes – largely photo-absorption or Faradaic induction - to harvest sun light directly or indirectly in form of electric potential differences and free electrons. While some electricity is used directly or stored capacitively, an increasing portion calls for direct conversion into valuable molecular solar fuels or chemicals. This conversion in the dark is made possible by heterogeneous electrocatalysis on the surface of solid electrodes. Electrocatalysis at the electrode surface orchestrates the stepwise making or breaking of molecular chemical bonds by means of electronic charge transfer across the electrified solid electrode/electrolyte interface. Kinetic barriers of elementary reaction steps – associated with suboptimal chemisorption or stabilization of intermediates - control the efficiency of the overall reaction process. Fundamental understanding of the origin of the kinetic barriers arising along the reaction coordinate aids in the design of more efficient, tailor-made electrochemical interfaces.

In this presentation, Prof Strasser will report on recent experiments, conclusions, as well as unresolved issues that advance our fundamental understanding of “dark” electrocatalytic materials, interfaces and mechanisms relevant to the generation of value-added molecular chemical compounds from electricity. Approaches involve idealized three-electrode set ups as well as electrolysis cells coupled to spectroscopic, microscopic, scattering or spectrometric analysis techniques.

Peter Strasser studied chemistry at the University of Tübingen, Germany, at Stanford University and at the University of Pisa and obtained his “Diploma” degree in General Chemistry in 1995. He conducted his doctoral research under the direction of Gerhard Ertl, and obtained his PhD in “Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry” from the ‘Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck-Society’ and the Free University in Berlin. He joined “Symyx Technologies Inc.”, a company in Silicon Valley pioneering Combinatorial and High Throughput Discovery of catalytic materials, in 2000 as a postdoctoral associate and was later promoted to Senior Member of staff and served as project/group leader in Electrocatalysis and Heterogeneous Catalysis.  In 2004, he assumed the position of Assistant Professor at the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Houston, before he became the chaired professor of “Electrochemistry and Electrocatalysis” in the Chemical Engineering Division of the Department of Chemistry at the Technical University Berlin. He is a Visiting Professor at the Department of Material Science at Tongji University, China. 

Peter Strasser has received awards and honors such as the European Fuel Cell Forum (EFCF) Christian Schönbein Gold Medal (2021), the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Faraday Medal (2021),the ISE Brian Conway Prize in Physical Electrochemistry (2020), The Nature publishing award (2018), the IAHE Sir William Grove award in hydrogen research (2018), the Otto-Roelen Medal in Catalysis by the German Catalysis Society (2016), the Ertl Prize (2016), as well as the Otto-Hahn Research Medal by the Max-Planck Society (2000). Since 2018, he is continuously listed on the list of 1% of “Highly Cited Researchers” worldwide. 

Peter Strasser is a named inventor on 15 U.S. and European patents. He has presented more than 200 invited lectures or seminars at various academic, industrial, and governmental organizations or conferences around the world. He has authored or co-authored more than 350 scientific papers that have appeared in refereed journals, as well as the textbook High-Throughput Screening in Chemical Catalysis Concepts, Strategies and Applications, Wiley-VCH, New York. All these publications are related to various aspects of surface electrochemistry and catalysis. 

Peter Strasser’s entrepreneurial activities include roles of academic mentor for Start-up companies such as “DexLeChem” (http://www.dexlechem.com/home_en) and “Liquid Loop Spectrometry” (https://www.liquidloop-spectrometry.de), which commercialize technology developed at the Department of chemistry at TU Berlin.

Discussion moderators : Assistant Prof He Qian (Host, NUS), Prof Andrew Wong, Prof Wang Lei

This webinar is over. You may watch the recorded video in our YouTube page at https://youtu.be/CVSRjCX7J70

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Speaker: Professor Aurelien Manchon
Affiliation: Department of Physics, Aix-Marseille University at the Interdisciplinary Center for Nanoscience of Marseille (CINaM)
Abstract Details:

Two-dimensional magnets based on van der Waals materials are currently fostering great expectations for the advancement of spin-orbitronics, which aims to exploit the spin-orbit coupling in non-centrosymmetric magnetic heterostructures to enable current-driven magnetic torques and stabilize homochiral magnetic textures. Van der Waals magnets are particularly appealing for this purpose as their properties can be tuned by surface engineering at the atomic level.

In this talk, Prof Manchon will present their investigation of the spin-orbitronics properties of selected highly promising van der Waals candidates, both in pristine and Janus configurations, from first principles and effective tight-binding models. He will first discuss the spin-orbit torque that emerges from inversion symmetry breaking in magnetic transition metal dichalcogenide monolayers [1] and demonstrate that sizable torques can be obtained, whose magnitude is controlled by the electric dipole due to the chalcogen elements.

Most importantly, Prof Manchon will show the existence of a unique spin-orbit torque component that allows for field-free current-driven switching, of highest interest for applications. Then, he will discuss the nature of Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction in these systems, and how they can stabilize magnetic skyrmions, but also magnetic bimerons depending on the magnetic anisotropy properties [2]. Finally, he will discuss the spin-orbitronics properties of Fe3Ge2Te2 and show that in spite of its high symmetry, its inherent mirror symmetry breaking enables the onset of an in-plane Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction that can stabilize planar chiral textures [3].

[1] Smaili et al., arXiv:2007.07579
[2] Laref et al., arXiv:2011.07813
[3] Laref et al., Physical Review B 102, 060402(R) (2020)

Aurelien Manchon is a Professor of Physics at Aix-Marseille University at the Interdisciplinary Center for Nanoscience of Marseille (CINaM). His research focuses on the field of theoretical spintronics and aims at identifying novel mechanisms that can be used to operate spin-based devices. His research interest spans from spin-orbit coupled transport to chiral magnetism, antiferromagnets and ultrafast spin dynamics. Before Aix-Marseille University, he was an Assistant (2009-2015), and an Associate Professor (2015-2019) of Materials Science and Engineering at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), in Saudi Arabia. He joined KAUST in 2009 after a postdoctoral fellowship at University of Missouri-Columbia and University of Arizona-Tuscon. He graduated from the Ecole Polytechnique, Palaiseau, France in 2004 and earned his PhD in Physics in 2007 from University Joseph Fourier and CEA/SPINTEC laboratory in France.

Discussion moderators : Assoc Prof Chen Jingsheng (Host, NUS), Asst Prof Anjan Soumyanarayanan (NUS), Prof Shen Lei (NUS)

This webinar is over. You may watch the recorded video in our YouTube page at https://youtu.be/H3liv-Q1qN4

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Speaker: Professor Huaqiang Wu
Affiliation: Director, Department of microelectronics & nanoelectronics; Institute of Microelectronics, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
Abstract Details:

Recently, computation in memory becomes very hot due to the urgent needs of high computing efficiency in artificial intelligence applications. In contrast to von-neumann architecture, computation in memory technology avoids the data movement between CPU/GPU and memory which could greatly reduce the power consumption.

Memristor is one ideal device which could not only store information with multi-bits, but also conduct computing using ohm’s law. To make the best use of the memristor in neuromorphic systems, a memristor-friendly architecture and the software-hardware collaborative design methods are essential, and the key problem is how to utilize the memristor’s analog behavior.

We have designed a generic memristor crossbar based architecture for convolutional neural networks and perceptrons, which take full consideration of the analog characteristics of memristors. Furthermore, we have proposed an online learning algorithm for memristor based neuromorphic systems which overcomes the varation of memristor cells and endue the system the ability of reinforcement learning based on memristor’s analog behavior.

Dr. Huaqiang Wu is presently the director of the department of microelectronics and nanoelectronics, and the director of the Institute of Microelectronics, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China. Dr. Wu is also served as the deputy director of Beijing Innovation Center for Future Chips. Dr. Wu received his Ph.D. degree in electrical and computer engineering from Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, in 2005. Prior to that, he graduated from Tsinghua University, Beijing, China, in 2000 with double B.S. degrees in material science & engineering and enterprise management. From 2006 to 2008, he was a senior engineer and MTS in Spansion LLC, Sunnyvale, CA. He joined Tsinghua University in 2009. His research interests include emerging memory and neuromorphic computing technologies. Dr. Wu has published more than 200 technical papers and owns more than 90 US and China patents. Dr. Wu’s papers have appeared on Nature, Nature Nanotechnology, Proceedings of the IEEE, IEEE EDL, ISSCC, IEDM, VLSI, etc. Currently, Dr. Wu served as the TPC chair for 2021 EDTM conference and TPC member of VLSI Technology, DAC, VLSI-TSA, etc. Dr. Wu was the recipient of 2019 Xplore Prize, National Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars, China Industry University Research Cooperation Innovation Award, and Beijing Outstanding Young Talent Award.

Discussion moderators : Assoc Prof Chen Jingsheng (Host, NUS), Asst Prof Benjamin Tee (NUS), Prof Do Anh Tuan (A*Star)

This webinar is over. You may watch the recorded video in our YouTube page at https://youtu.be/yChwSOXO538

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Speaker: Professor Subbu Venkatraman
Affiliation: Executive Director, ILO NUS; Adj Professor, Materials Science & Engineering, NUS
Abstract Details:

Fueled by our abilities to compute materials properties and characteristics orders of magnitude faster than they can be measured and recent advancements in harnessing literature data, we are entering the era of the fourth paradigm of science: data-driven materials design. The Materials Project (www.materialsproject.org) uses supercomputing together with state-of-the-art quantum mechanical theory to compute the properties of all known inorganic materials and beyond, design novel materials and offer the data for free to the community together with online analysis and design algorithms.

Nano-materials hold much promise in Medicine, both for in vivo imaging and for therapeutic applications. In particular, nanomaterials have been heavily researched for selective cancer therapy, with the promise of reduced side effects. This has only partially been realized. Since the introduction of the first Nanotherapeutic (Doxil®) in 1995, very few nano-carrier based systems have been approved for use on human patients. I will trace the history of nanotherapeutic products to date, and explain why translation to the clinic has been slow, with a low success rate.

Our work on Nanotherapeutics:
Based on our experience in the field, it appears certain now that no one nanomaterial will address or revolutionize therapy. We will examine the advantages and limitations of current nanocarrier systems, vis-à-vis microcarriers. In particular, I will focus on gene delivery, and explain why for delivering mRNA and siRNA, nanocarriers are essential. In addition to profiling many approaches to gene silencing, I will discuss our approach to gene silencing using a polyelectrolyte layer-by-layer systems and explain why this system can be both selective and long-lasting in its effects on prevention of fibrosis.

Based on our success with nanotechnology for gene silencing, I will outline the possibilities for mRNA therapeutics and examine the need for nanotechnology for vaccine delivery.

References
1. YF Tan, RC Mundargi, MHA Chen, J Lessig, B Neu, S Venkatraman, TT Wong. Layer-by-layer nanoparticles as an efficient siRNA delivery vehicle for SPARC silencing, SMALL, 10 (9), pp1790-1799 (2014);

Professor Subbu Venkatraman has a PhD in Polymer Chemistry from Carnegie-Mellon University. He has spent about 15 years in materials and biomedical R&D in the USA, working with various applications of polymeric materials, before joining NTU as an Associate Professor in 2000. He was instrumental in starting the Biomaterials effort in NTU and developing the paradigm of research driven by medical needs. He served as Associate Chair for Research for 6 years, before taking over as Chair in 2011. Under his watch the School jumped 41 places in the rankings to #3 as per the QS rankings, and #1 as per the US News & World Report rankings.

He has published extensively in the field of biomaterials, with a total of 270 publications, H-index of 47 and a citation count of 8350. He also holds 70 granted patents from a total of 171 applications. His translational work in biomaterials has led to 3 spin-off companies, with one of them (Amaranth Medical) obtaining substantial series C funding. He has also received the 2014 Singapore President's Technology Award together with Prof Freddy Boey and Adjunct A/P Tina Wong, for their innovative application of nanostructures and novel drug delivery approach to combat blindness from glaucoma. He is also the co-founder of Peregrine Ophthlamic Pte Ltd and Amaranth Medical Pte Ltd.

His research group is interested in designing and modifying materials for biomedical applications. In particular, current focus is on nanotechnological approaches to enhance the efficacy of protein drugs and genes. Based on his approaches, he hopes to improve the commercialization track record of nanomedicine approvals.

This webinar is over. You may watch the recorded video in our YouTube page at https://youtu.be/EpfTtgh-m7c

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Speaker: Professor Kristin Persson
Affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering (Berkeley Research, University of California)
Abstract Details:

Fueled by our abilities to compute materials properties and characteristics orders of magnitude faster than they can be measured and recent advancements in harnessing literature data, we are entering the era of the fourth paradigm of science: data-driven materials design. The Materials Project (www.materialsproject.org) uses supercomputing together with state-of-the-art quantum mechanical theory to compute the properties of all known inorganic materials and beyond, design novel materials and offer the data for free to the community together with online analysis and design algorithms.

The current release contains data derived from quantum mechanical calculations for over 130,000 materials and millions of properties. The resource supports a growing community of data-rich materials research, currently supporting over 160,000 registered users and over 2 million data records served each day through the API. The software infrastructure enables thousands of calculations per week – enabling screening and predictions - for both novel solid as well as molecular species with target properties.

To exemplify our approach we will highlight a few projects related to energy storage applications that have been successfully concluded or are being pursued using the capabilities that have emerged from our approach of data informed materials design. Such projects include i) coatings for high-voltage cathodes ii) a reaction network to understand the solid electrolyte interface formation and iii) discovery of novel electrolyte salts.

Kristin Persson is a Professor in Materials Science and Engineering at UC Berkeley with a joint appointment at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. She is the Director and co-founder of the Materials Project (www.materialsproject.org); one of the most visible of the Materials Genome Initiative (MGI) funded programs attracting over a hundred thousand users worldwide. She is a leader in the MGI community, and is known for her advancement of data-driven materials design and advancement of materials informatics. She is an Associate Editor for Chemistry of Materials and has received the 2018 DOE Secretary of Energy’s Achievement Award, the 2017 TMS Faculty Early Career Award, the 2020 Falling Walls Science and Innovation Management Award, the LBNL Director’s award for Exceptional Scientific Achievement (2013) and she is a 2018 Kavli Fellow. She holds several patents in the clean energy space and has co-authored more than 200 peer-reviewed publications.

Discussants: Asst Prof Piero Canepa (Host, NUS), Prof Aron Walsh (Imperial College), Prof Su Ying Quek (NUS)

This webinar is over. You may watch the recorded video in our YouTube page at https://youtu.be/m7624Q3Vw3k

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Speaker: Professor Quek Su Ying
Affiliation: Department of Physics and Centre for Advanced 2D Materials, National University of Singapore
Abstract Details:

In the fictional world of “Flatland” by English novelist Edwin Abbott, residents in “Flatland” are challenged to embrace the perspective of additional spatial dimensions. Experimental advancements in the synthesis of two-dimensional (2D) materials have provided a real-life example very close to “Flatland”, and its “residents” (electrons/quasiparticles) interact routinely with the environment, either through specially-chosen experimental probes, or by inadvertent interactions under ambient conditions.

In this talk, Prof Quek will discuss the response of 2D materials to external stimuli, and the implications of interface interactions on their electronic properties. Using state-of-the-art ab initio calculations, Prof Quek's group demonstrates the role of many-electron interactions in determining the Landau levels and g-factors of valleytronic 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs),(1) defect-induced localized excitons in 2D WSe2,(2) and energy level alignment in organic/2D material interfaces.(3,4,5)

Prof Quek will further discuss examples where bottom-up design can result in the realization of intriguing material properties, such as the coexistence of mixed-dimensional physics in a single 2D covalent organic framework,(6) and the stabilization of room temperature charge density wave states in 2D H-phase TaS2 due to Moiré interfacial interactions.(7) The results discussed here have important implications in the application of 2D materials in next generation quantum devices.

References
1. F. Xuan, S. Y. Quek, “Valley Zeeman Effect and Landau Levels in Two-Dimensional Transition Metal Dichalcogenides”, Physical Review Research, 2, 033256 (2020)
2. Y. J. Zheng, Y. Chen, Y. L. Huang, P. K. Gogoi, M.-Y. Li, L.-J. Li, P. E. Trevisanutto, Q. Wang, S. J. Pennycook, A. T. S. Wee, S. Y. Quek, “Point Defects and Localized Excitons in 2D WSe2”, ACS Nano 13, 6050 (2019)
3. K. Noori, N. L. Q. Cheng, F. Xuan and S. Y. Quek, “Dielectric screening by 2D substrates”, 2D Materials 6, 035036 (2019)
4. F. Xuan, Y. Chen, S. Y. Quek, “Quasiparticle Levels at Large Interface Systems from Many-Body Perturbation Theory: The XAF-GW Method”, Journal of Chemical Theory and Computation, 15, 3824 (2019)
5. R. Xu, F. Xuan, S. Y. Quek, “Spin-Dependent Tunneling Barriers in CoPc/VSe2 from Many-Body Interactions”, J. Phys. Chem. Lett., 11, 9358 (2020)
6. J. Wang, S. Y. Quek, “Isolated Flat Bands and Physics of Mixed Dimensions in a 2D Covalent Organic Framework”, Nanoscale, 12, 20279 (2020)
7. W. Fu, J. Qiao, X. Zhao, Y. Chen, D. Fu, W. Yu, K. Leng, P. Song, Z. Chen, T. Yu, S. J. Pennycook, S. Y. Quek, K.P. Loh, “Room Temperature Commensurate Charge Density Wave on Epitaxially grown Bilayer 2H-Tantalum Sulfide on Hexagonal Boron Nitride”, ACS Nano 14, 3917 (2020)

Su Ying Quek is an Assistant Professor in Physics at the National University of Singapore (NUS). She is also a faculty member at the NUS Centre for Advanced 2D Materials and the NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering. She received a BA Honors (1st-class) in Mathematics from the University of Cambridge, and a Ph.D. in Applied Physics from Harvard University. She was a recipient of the National Research Foundation Fellowship in Singapore, and has given more than twenty invited talks at international conferences, including several at the 2D materials symposiums in the Materials Research Society meetings in USA. She leads a computation and theory group that studies the electronic structure and lattice dynamics of emerging materials. Her team is at the forefront of methodology development involving energy level alignment at complex interfaces as well as in other emerging problems of experimental relevance. The group has also been successful in creating impact through fruitful interdisciplinary collaborations with experimental groups both within and outside of NUS.

This webinar is over. You may watch the recorded video in our YouTube page at https://youtu.be/sf1ggYF3-tE

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Affiliation: A*STAR – MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE JOINT WORKSHOP

Please contact belinda.chee@nus.edu.sg for Zoom link and password.

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Speaker: Professor Kedar Hippalgaonkar
Affiliation: Materials Science and Engineering Department (Nanyang Technological University) & Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE) at Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR)
Abstract Details:

Designing and synthesizing materials with desired functional properties is a difficult challenge. With the recent advances in machine learning, the ability to perform automated experiments and high-performance simulations, new tools have emerged that allow for the acceleration of the materials discovery process.

In this talk, first Prof Kedar Hippalgaonkar will discuss how they have used machine learning models to not only predict good thermoelectric materials from existing databases (e.g. Materials Project), but also tune the machine learning models to predict previously unseen new compounds.

Following this, he will talk about their results on generation of materials databases, both computationally and experimentally. With a focus on electronic materials, Density Functional Theory, followed by high-throughput charge scattering time calculations allow them to calculate the electron mobility, Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity of a large number or inorganic compounds. This is a high fidelity database that can be utilized by machine learning in the future.

In terms of high-throughput experiments, Prof Hippalgaonkar will share their progress on the flow-based synthesis, dropcast thin film formation and optical/electrical characterization tool, which allows for collection of labeled datapoints for inorganic-organic hybrid materials – here they navigate a complex parameter space by using Bayesian optimization and towards scientific hypothesis testing with a combination of probability graphs and regressors.

Prof Kedar Hippalgaonkar is a joint appointee with the Materials Science and Engineering Department at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and as a Senior Scientist at the Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE) at the Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR).

He is leading the Accelerated Materials Development for Manufacturing (AMDM) program from 2018-2023 focusing on the development of new materials, processes and optimization using Machine Learning, AI and high-throughput computations and experiments in electronic and plasmonic materials and polymers. He is also leading the Pharos Program on Hybrid (inorganic-organic) thermoelectrics for ambient applications from 2016-2020.

He has published over 50 research papers, and was nominated as a Journal of Materials Chemistry Emerging Investigator in 2019. He was recognized as a Science and Technology for Society Young Leader in Kyoto in 2015. For his outstanding graduate research, he was awarded the Materials Research Society Silver Medal in 2014. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Distinction) from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University in 2003 and obtained his Doctor of Philosophy from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UC Berkeley in 2014. While pursuing his doctoral studies, he conducted research on fundamentals of heat, charge and light in solid state materials.

This webinar is over. You may watch the recorded video in our YouTube page at https://youtu.be/0fTuBuLbn0c.

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Speaker: Professor Guillermo Carlos Bazan
Affiliation: Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore
Abstract Details:

The ability to synthesize precisely-defined molecular materials allows one to understand basic physical phenomena underlying properties of interest and enables new technologies.

A journey of discovery will be described with origins centered on our interest in understanding how electrostatic interactions can be used to modulate the photophysics and electronic structure of conjugated polyelectrolytes. This foundational work led to the design of optically-amplified biosensory platforms and a commercial program that led to cytometry reagents that are now widely used in medical research fields. Through the ability to tailor optoelectronic and self-assembly processes, molecular semiconductors were designed that are the basis of transparent organic solar cell development programs. Extension of molecular architectures so that they contain predefined ionic and hydrophobic domains, namely conjugated oligoelectrolytes (COEs), were strategically developed with the view of facilitating extracellular electron transfer in microorganisms. These findings led to the idea of “Living Composites”, which combine a soft conductive gel matrix with electrogenic bacteria. While early in the development program, it is envisioned that the three-dimensional aspect of the composites will accelerate progress in bioelectrochemical technologies relevant for energy production, wastewater remediation, and electrosynthesis.

As a final point of discussion, we will show how the modulation of membrane properties afforded by COEs has provided us with a new type of potentially transformative platform for developing new antibiotics. Above all, the goal of the presentation is to illustrate how the synthesis of new molecules provides the connection between what may appear at first sight to be unrelated technological challenges.

Guillermo Bazan is a Professor at the Departments of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, National University of Singapore since January this year. Prior to relocating to Singapore, he was Professor of Chemistry and Materials, University of California, Santa Barbara since 1998. He was Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Rochester for 6 years before his position at University of California. And he was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Department of Chemistry, California Institute of Technology from 1990 to 1992 .

Academic Qualifications
• 1986-1990 Ph.D., Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
• 1982-1986 B.Sc., (Summa cum Laude), Chemistry, University of Ottawa

Research Interests
Living materials, transmembrane electron transfer, organic semiconductors, conjugated oligoelectrolyte antibiotics.

Education and Outreach
Four spin-off companies are associated with his laboratories and the students in his group. They include Sirigen (purchased by Becton Dickinson), NEXT Energy (winner of the Most Disruptive Technology Award by the Pacific Coast Business Times), Apeel Technologies (fastest growing company in Santa Barbara) and Xiretsa (established in 2019). Prof. Bazan holds over sixty-five patents. Thirty-five of his previous students and postdoctoral associates now lead successful academic positions.

Major Awards/Recognition
• 2019 Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher
• 2017 ISI Highly Cited Scientists in Materials Science
• Frontiers in Chemistry Named Lecture, Case Western Reserve University
• Thomson Reuter “Most Influential Scientific Minds”, 2015
• Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, 2014
• Top 50 Material Scientists by Citation and Impact, Thompson Reuters, 2011
• Macromolecules Advisory Board, 2009
• Professor of the Chang Jiang Scholars Professor, 2009
• Advanced Materials Editorial Advisory Board, 2008
• Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2007
• American Chemical Society Cope Scholar Award, 2006
• Bessel Award, Humboldt Foundation, 2005
• NSF Special Creativity Award, 2003
• Union Carbide Innovation Award, 1998
• Closs Lecturer, University of Chicago, 1997
• Camille and Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award, 1996-1998

You may register in advance for this online seminar at https://nus-sg.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Z581TQh2Q_eij_v8O-aTpA

If you encounter any issues on the registration, please contact bernicekiong@nus.edu.sg or marilen.buenviaje@nus.edu.sg

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