PLATFORM: Molecular Engineering Rules in Functional Nanoscale Assemblies

Completed

Renewable Energy Sources(Solar Energy, Photovoltaics)
Not Energy Related

Basic and strategic applied research

PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Chemistry)

Not Cross-cutting

Professor DR Klug
Chemistry
Imperial College London

Standard

EPSRC

01 October 2005

30 September 2010

60 months

£411,774

Medical & health interface

London

Cross-Discipline Interface

Professor DR Klug, Chemistry, Imperial College London

Professor J Durrant, Chemistry, Imperial College London
Professor KR Willison, Chemistry, Imperial College London

The organisation of molecular and biomolecular components on the 1-100 nanometer scale to achieve a desired functionality is central to the current growth of interest in nanomaterials and nanotechnology. Such structural organisation is of course already fundamental to the function of many biological macromolecules; the emulation of such structural and functional control is now a central element of many chemical approaches to functional materials and devices. The applicants of this proposal allhead internationally leading research programmes addressing the engineering principles of functional nanoscale assemblies. The rational behind all of these studies is the determination of the underlying structure / function relationships which will allow the rational design of specific nanoscale assemblies to achieved a desired functionality. The nanoscale assemblies studied by the applicants all lie close to the chemistry/life sciences interface and include natural and synthetic redox proteins, the intergration of such redox proteins with nanostructured inorganic materials, and biomimetric approaches to solar energy conversion and light driven water splitting. These studies are motivated by applications to both molecular medicine and renewable energy research, and already involve extensive collaborations between the applicants' research groups. In all cases the research is highly interdisciplinary, requiring access to reproducible inputs of state of the art materials and biomolecules, state of the art instrumentation, theoretical modelling and the fabrication of functional systems and devices. The maintenance of continuity of expertise in all of these areas is essential for efficient achievement of the applicants research objectives. The applicants have identified two specific areas of expertise where it is essential for this continuity of expertise to be maintained in house: instrumentation development and maintenance, and materials preparation. State of the artelectro-optic instrumentation development and operation is central to the achievement of cutting edge functional analyses central to applicants research, and can only be achieved by a dedicated research officer. The applicants already employ dedicated post-doctoral researchers focussed on the synthesis and isolation of state of art chemicals (e.g.: nanostructured metal oxide electrodes) and biochemicals (e.g.: protein isolation). However detailed functional studies leading to the development of engineering principles typically requires the reproducible preparation of such materials over prolonged periods of time, work inappropriate for specialist post-doctoral researchers, but ideally suited to a dedicated preparative research technician. The applicants have furthermore identified that research continuity and efficiency could be greatly enhanced within their groups if bridging funding was available to allow post-doctoral researchers to transfer expertise between specific research projects. The purpose of this Platform Grant will be to address these continuity issues, thereby underpinning and optimising the efficiencies of the research programmes being undertaken within the applicants research groups

01/01/07