DNA-Based Molecular Machines
June 30 2026
DNA is well known to be a genetic molecule with double helix structures. DNA is evolved in nature to follow a simple and precise Watson-Crick pairing rule to encode enormous genetic information in living things. Nevertheless, DNA is not only a carrier of genetic information, but can be regarded a type of molecular information materials. DNA molecules have been exploited as a building block to encode various types of structures that are not present in nature. More recent advances show that nucleic acids-based information materials are increasingly being used for applications including bioimaging, drug delivery and micro-nano fabrication. In this talk I will introduce the use of nucleic acids-based information materials for developing molecular machines.
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Molecular Imprinting Strategies for Sensors and Assays
June 26 2026
The synthesis of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIP) has established itself as an indispensable tool in generating biomimetic sensors, i.e. systems that aim at implementing bioanalogous recognition abilities into artificial materials. The focus of research has shifted towards implementing MIPs into sensors and assays that are inherently useful for real-life
applications, which has brought substantial attention to questions such as reproducibility and obustness of MIP-based sensors. Especially radically polymerized systems pose a substantial challenge here: the inherently statistical polymerization process makes it difficult to achieve robust synthesis. This seminar talk will highlight two aspects that the group in Vienna has been utilizing to improve applicability in recent years: implementing controlled radical polymerization for generating surface-imprinted thin films and solid-phase synthesis to obtain so-called “MIP nanobodies”, as pioneered in the groups for S. Piletsky in Leicester and K. Haupt in Compiègne. It will cover different analytes ranging from small molecules and eptides to nanoand microsized structures.
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Tailoring Multifunctional Materials through Chemical Design and Structural Control
June 24 2026
Recent advances in synthetic organic chemistry and materials science have enabled the development of functional organic materials whose properties can be rationally engineered through molecular design and structural control. However, the preparation of highly pure materials, the expansion of their chemical functionality, and the precise control of long-range structural order remain challenging. In this talk, these aspects will be discussed through two representative case studies: Carbon Dots (CDs) and Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs). CDs are photoluminescent carbon nanoparticles synthesized from small organic molecules through solvothermal methods. Despite the simplicity and accessibility of their preparation, the properties often reported for novel CDs can arise from molecular impurities that are not removed during purification. In our recent work, we introduced advanced characterization protocols to reveal these inconsistencies and establish new quality standards for the field. Building on this expertise, we expanded this synthetic methodology to access novel chiral CDs, which were successfully employed as catalytic platforms for organic transformations by exploiting both the core and surface functionalities of the nanoparticles.In parallel, COFs provide an ideal platform to investigate how structural order impacts material properties. COFs are crystalline porous polymers that are typically obtained as polycrystalline materials. Our recent efforts have enabled the development of synthetic methodologies for the growth of single-crystalline imine-based COFs.[3,4] Access to highly ordered materials enabled us to elucidate how crystallinity influences their properties and performance in targeted applications.
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From Graphene to Gold: Functional Carbon Materials, Nanoparticle Synthesis, Biosensor Development, and Advanced Composites for Collaborative Research
June 23 2026
This presentation outlines the research expertise and collaborative potential of Emine Kayhan (Assoc. Prof, Uşak University), spanning functional carbon nanomaterials, metal nanoparticle synthesis and functionalization, biosensor development, and advanced composite materials. The central theme of this talk is the synthesis and functional engineering of carbon-based nanomaterials — from large-area, transparent graphene films grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) to graphene oxide and graphene quantum dots — and their integration into energy, sensing, and catalytic systems. This background encompasses palladium nanoparticles supported on chemically derived graphene for hydrogen generation, CoFe₂O₄ and Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles on carbon supports for lithium-ion and lithium-air batteries, and PdNi nanoparticles on SnO₂-C composites for electrocatalytic applications. Building on this foundation, recent work focuses on graphene quantum dot-based optical biosensor systems for rapid and portable detection of foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella spp., developed within an active TÜBİTAK project. The presentation will also cover advances in composite materials engineering — including glass fiber-reinforced polyester composites with tailored flameretardant and radiation-shielding properties — as well as photochromic bismuth tungstate ceramics synthesized under controlled temperature conditions. The overarching aim of this presentation is to identify synergistic collaboration opportunities with researchers at Tor Vergata who study on complementary applications: our group brings expertise in nanomaterial synthesis and functionalization — carbon materials, metal and metal oxide nanoparticles, functional composites — while prospective partners may contribute in areas such as advanced biosensor fabrication, electrochemical characterization, device integration, dental or biomedical applications.
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Many-Body Effects on Quasiparticles: from Excitons to Phonons in 2D Materials
June 22 2026
Crystal elementary excitations, such as phonons, excitons and plasmons, and their momentum dispersions, are a fundamental topic in condensed matter physics. All these quasiparticles can be referred to as charged excitations, as they constitute the poles of the density-density response function $\chi$. Momentum-dependent electron energy-loss spectroscopy (q-EELS) has recently proven to be a pivotal tool for investigating charge excitations in suspended low-dimensional (2D) materials using a transmission electron microscope. In this seminar, I will discuss recent advances in the interpretation of low-momentum q-EELS measurements, along with advances in the calculation of electron-energy losses with manybody perturbation theory, required as electron interaction is enhanced in freestanding 2D materials. Such theoretical schemes are then applied to the study of the fine-structure exciton branch of monolayer hBN, then to the phonon dispersions and linewidths of graphene optical branches with excitonic effects near the Brillouin zone center ($\Gamma$) and corners (K), a regime relevant for transport graphene properties.
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Self-assembled Chemosensor Arrays
June 22 2026
The cross-reactive receptors of the mammalian olfactory systems allow the detection of multiple odorant molecules simultaneously. The obtained recognition information is data-processed, resulting in the discrimination of odor based on pattern recognition. Such sophisticated recognition fashions in Mother Nature are promising designs for powerful pattern recognition-driven chemical sensing. Real samples such as body fluids, foods and drinks, and environmental water contain various invisible analytes with different structural geometries, sizes, and charges. Therefore, efficient receptor designs
are required, considering the above features of analytes in real-sample analysis. Biogenic receptors, including enzymes and antibodies, are the representative materials that allow selective recognition against specific analytes, based on the lock-and-key models. Meanwhile, synthetic receptors are designed by molecular recognition chemistry, which offers superior cross-reactivity to selective recognition. Chemosensors comprising synthetic receptors and indicators enable visualization of analyte recognition information through changes in colorimetric and/or fluorescent properties. Chemosensors
on an array show various optical properties depending on the types of analytes and their concentrations, which are referred to as fingerprint-like responses. With pattern recognition techniques, optical chemical information can be visualized qualitatively and quantitatively. In this regard, molecular self-assemblies serve as driving forces for obtaining various optical patterns derived from assembly and disassembly in chemical sensing. To date, the author has developed selfassembled chemosensors for pattern recognition and revealed the applicability of this concept to various chemical sensing in water environments. The strategies for chemosensor designs based on molecular self-assembly for multi-component analysis will be introduced in the presentation.
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Electron or energy transfer in TiO2 Photocatalysis… that is the question
June 18 2026
Electron transfer is generally invoked to explain most of the reported photocatalytic reactions.
However, upon interaction of an electronically excited species (e.g. irradiated TiO2) with another in
its ground state, both electron or energy transfer could in principle take place. These events are
mechanistically and conceptually related, but they evolve differently along the reaction coordinate
depending on several factors.
This contribution will provide some paradigmatic examples showing how surface modification could
address the photocatalytic activity towards prevailing energy transfer based reactions. For instance,
even if with evident differences, surface modifications of TiO2 with silane moieties or with carbon
dots induce similar structural and photoinduced functional features of the resulting photocatalytic
material. In both cases, surface modification changes locally the crystal field of the titanium atoms
and stabilize Ti3+ defects in the sub-surface region. The amount of these paramagnetic centers
appears to be correlated with the formation rate of singlet oxygen, while electron transfer to
superoxide is suppressed.
Surface modification is therefore a useful tool to exploit energy transfer driven reactions. For
instance, energy transfer driven isomerization of caffeic acid has been found to occur effectively in
the presence of modified TiO2. More importantly, the preferential formation of singlet oxygen at the
surface of the irradiated modified semiconductor is an indirect proof of the occurrence of energy
transfer driven reactions. This has been exploited for the epoxidation of limonene and for the design
of oxygen getting nanocomposites.
Even if more direct evidences are required to corroborate these results, the presentation will show
that it is possible to control the nature of the oxidizing species in photocatalytic processes by simple
surface engineering, with extremely intriguing consequences in the field of green organic chemistry.
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The Future of Molecular Imprinting: Shaping Green and Innovative Electrochemical Platforms
June 16 2026
Developing rapid, cost-effective, and "green" approaches to achieve environmental sustainability is currently one of the
most important priorities for addressing environmental pollution. Molecular imprinting technology is a creative method that enables synthetic biorecognition gaps to mimic natural biological derivatives such as antibodies, receptors, and enzymes. After removal of the target analyte, synthetic cavities enable recognition and selective rebinding of the template. In this case, molecular imprinting technology offers biosimilar receptors with higher specific affinity and greater stability than natural receptors and biomolecules [1]. Although stable and durable MIPs seem relatively easy to create to achieve maximum efficiency, some optimization parameters should be considered, such as the appropriate functional monomer and crosslinker, and the optimal ratios among functional monomer, template, and crosslinker [2]. Green analytical chemistry (GAC) aims to make analytical techniques less harmful to the environment and more humanfriendly by reducing or eliminating toxic chemicals/reagents, using energy-efficient equipment, and using miniaturized and automated methods. Sustainability is the underlying approach to the GAC. There is an evolution towards more environmentally friendly components across the analysis process, from synthesis and analysis to the tools used. Thanks to these steps, minimizing waste generation and avoiding harmful waste will be the most important outcome of GAC for the environment and human health in the long run. It has been reported that template monomer interactions occur via noncovalent forces such as van der Waals forces, hydrogen bonds, and dipolar interactions. MIP-based electrochemical sensors and miniature electrochemical transducers can detect target analytes in situ. Thanks to their superior chemical and physical stability, low-cost manufacturing, high selectivity, and fast response, MIPs have recently become an interesting field of study. The increase in environmental awareness and stricter regulation for the use of chemicals and economic competitiveness are challenging the scientific community and industry to explore greener strategies in their processes, preventing pollution and reducing waste while maximizing the efficiency of the processes, and that can only be achieved by the application of green chemistry and engineering principles.
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DESIGNING SMART GLYCOPOLYMERS: THEIR APPLICATIONS IN CANCER THERAPY
June 15 2026
Glycopolymers belong to a special class of synthetic polymers bearing pendant sugar units that are
receiving considerable attention among the scientific community, because of their interesting
properties and applications in the living system. The multivalent interaction between the sugar units
and carbohydrate receptors (lectins) plays the key role in its biological activity. Therefore, it is crucial
to manipulate the sugar density, length, and architecture of the glycopolymer to control the binding
rates with lectins. Currently, the major application of glycopolymers is in the field of pathogen
inhibition and cancer therapy due to their excellent bio-recognition properties. Herein, we investigated
the lectin binding efficiency of an octa-arm star glycopolymer as a function of its chain length. It was
observed that the binding constant value increases with the increase in glycopolymer chain length. In
another study, gelatin quantum dot-tagged fluorescence active redox-responsive glycopolymer nanogel
was developed via reversible addition−fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) polymerisation. An
anticancer drug, Doxorubicin (Dox), was loaded in the nanogel and its efficacy was studied over MDA
MB 231, a human breast cancer cell line. The efficacy of synergistic chemo-photodynamic therapy was
studied in a subsequent investigation to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of the system. A gold
nanoparticle (NPs) embedded pH-responsive glycopolymer was synthesized via RAFT polymerisation
and was attached with Dox as well as with a photosensitizer. The system demonstrated a synergistic
effect of chemo-photodynamic therapy when exposed to 630 nm LED light. This talk will delineate the
design of tailor-made glycopolymers with well-defined architecture via RAFT polymerisation
technique and their applications in the study of glycopolymer-lectin interaction, bioimaging, drug
delivery and phototherapy for cancer treatment.
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Molecular vital signs: recent advances in in vivo biosensors
June 15 2026
The availability of technologies capable of tracking the levels of drugs, metabolites, and biomarkers in real
time in the living body would revolutionize our understanding of health and our ability to detect and treat
disease. To this end, recent years have seen the development of electrochemical aptamer-based (EAB)
sensors, an in vivo molecular sensing strategy supporting seconds- to sub-second resolution, real-time drug
and biomarker measurements. Composed of an electrode-bound, redox-reporter-modified aptamer that
generates a signal via a binding-induced conformational change, EAB sensors are independent of the
chemical reactivity of their targets and thus, unlike, the continuous glucose monitor, they are adaptable to
any of a wide range of targets. Consistent with this, to date some two dozen drugs, metabolites,
neurotransmitters, and proteins having been successfully measured in the veins, brains, and solid peripheral
tissues of live animal models and, recently, human subjects. In this talk, I will highlight recent advances in this
technology and discuss how continuous molecular monitoring is providing an unprecedented window into
physiology, pharmacology, and disease while laying the foundation for a new generation of precision
medicine.
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Industry 5.0: From system integration challenges to humancentered design based sustainable solutions
June 10 2026
Today and tomorrow's industry requires modern technology where collaboration takes place between
people, between people and machines and between machines. Machines can monitor themselves,
analyze the results and autonomously optimize operating conditions and production. The result is
higher efficiency and productivity. In this lecture, Prof. Solis will present an overview of the ongoing
projects in research and education at Karlstad University within the applications areas to ageing,
energy, environment and education. In particular, the challenges within Industry 5.0 will be
exemplified with an ongoing research project that deals with human-centered Industry 5.0. In
particular, I will present the integration of machine learning-based 3D gesture recognition system to
make it easier for humans to send commands to a collaborative robot through body language as well
as the integration of mixed reality for visualisation of both 3D cyber space and physical space to
enable bidirectional human-robot interaction. Some other challenges related to adaptive control
methods on battery energy storage in controlled environment plant production systems will be shortly
introduced
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Engineering Programmable Sense-Decide-Act Systems across Cell-Free and Cell-Based Platforms
June 8 2026
Engineering biological systems capable of autonomously sensing environmental signals, processing information, and executing defined responses—sense-decide-act functionality—remains a central goal of synthetic biology. In this talk, I will present our laboratory's efforts toward realizing this goal across both cell-free and cell-based platforms, each offering distinct advantages for programmable biological function.
In cell-free contexts, we developed a one-pot isothermal assay that embodies cell-free sense-compute-respond logic. The system senses a target RNA through probe hybridization and ligation, computes a binary decision—gating T7 polymerase-driven transcription only upon successful ligation—and responds by producing a fluorescent RNA aptamer. We further extended the platform to single-nucleotide polymorphism discrimination by positioning variant bases at the ligation junction, exploiting differential ligation efficiency to resolve single-base differences.
In cell-based contexts, we have developed a genetic circuit design platform that supports a broader logic repertoire than existing tools and is deployable across multiple microbial chassis. By integrating transcription factor-based biosensors with engineered genetic circuits, we construct sense-compute-respond systems in living cells—where sensing of small-molecule ligands and metabolic intermediates is coupled to multi-layered signal processing and programmed biological responses. This enables sustained autonomous function in complex environments, extending programmable behavior beyond single-decision logic toward complex decision-making and actuation.
Together, these cell-free and cell-based capabilities establish a versatile and scalable foundation for programmable biological systems that sense, decide, and act.
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Il vetro in edilizia: processo produttivo, prestazioni termiche e durabilità del prodotto. Decarbonizzazione della filiera del vetro
4 giugno 2026
Il seminario approfondisce il ruolo delle vetrate isolanti nell’edilizia, con focus sulle prestazioni termiche e sui criteri
di scelta del sistema vetrato.Vengono trattati componenti, rivestimenti basso emissivi e a controllo solare, durabilità delle prestazioni, sicurezza applicativa e quadro normativo di riferimento (UNI EN 1279, UNI 7697). L’incontro affronta inoltre il ruolo dei CAM, del Marchio UNI e degli strumenti LCA/EPD, fino ad ampliare la prospettiva ai processi di decarbonizzazione della filiera vetraria, con particolare riferimento allo scenario italiano e alle traiettorie al 2035–2050.
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IL RUOLO DELLA CHIMICA ANALITICA NELLE INDAGINI FORENSI: UN DIALOGO DIFFICILE, MA FONDAMENTALE, TRA LINGUAGGIO SCIENTIFICO E LINGUAGGIO GIURIDICO
June 3 2026
Il seminario analizza il ruolo della chimica analitica nelle indagini forensi, evidenziando come essa costituisca uno strumento essenziale per la raccolta, l’interpretazione e la valutazione delle tracce materiali nell’ambito dell’attività investigativa. Partendo dal principio di scambio di Locard, secondo cui ogni contatto lascia una traccia, viene illustrata l’importanza del sopralluogo come fase primaria dell’indagine, finalizzata all’individuazione, alla conservazione e all’acquisizione delle fonti di prova.
L’intervento approfondisce il contributo delle discipline chimiche nell’analisi di microtracce, materiali, sostanze stupefacenti, esplosivi e prodotti commerciali, sottolineando il valore delle metodologie scientifiche nella verifica delle ipotesi investigative. Vengono inoltre presentati i concetti di identità relativa, identificazione e individualizzazione, evidenziando il ruolo della comparazione tra campioni di origine ignota e campioni di riferimento.
Particolare attenzione è dedicata al rapporto tra scienza e diritto, con riferimento al procedimento penale, agli accertamenti tecnici ripetibili e irripetibili e ai criteri di ammissibilità e valutazione della prova scientifica. In questo contesto vengono richiamati i criteri Daubert e la sentenza Cozzini, che pongono al centro la verificabilità, la falsificabilità, l’affidabilità del metodo e l’indipendenza dell’esperto.
Il seminario affronta inoltre il tema dell’incertezza e dell’uso degli strumenti statistici nelle scienze forensi, illustrando il contributo del ragionamento probabilistico e dell’approccio bayesiano attraverso il Likelihood Ratio quale misura della forza dell’evidenza rispetto a ipotesi alternative. L’obiettivo finale è mostrare come la moderna scienza forense debba fungere da ponte tra il linguaggio scientifico e quello giuridico, traducendo risultati complessi in informazioni comprensibili e utili al processo decisionale del giudice, nel rispetto dei principi di rigore metodologico, trasparenza e imparzialità.
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Soft Confinement in Functional Materials: Viscoelastic and Porous Architectures as Enabling Platforms
May 26 2026
Soft confinement in functional materials has emerged as an effective strategy to control chemical
processes by structuring the local environment rather than relying on intrinsically reactive matrices.
The purpose of this contribution is to examine how viscoelastic and porous architectures can operate
as enabling platforms for some (photo)chemical processes, with particular emphasis on their role as
reaction media. Our studies show that the materials primarily act as host environments that modulate
reaction conditions rather than as chemically active participants. Extending this approach, porous
architectures are explored as functional materials in applications where confinement and interfacial
chemistry are decisive, including for instance photocatalytic hydrogen generation, biomedical
platforms, and selective gas capture. In these systems, experimental results reveal that porosity,
chemical functionality, and material architecture govern accessibility, selectivity, and overall
performance. The major conclusion of this work is that soft confinement should be understood as an
enabling design principle that unifies seemingly disparate applications by emphasizing
environmental control, structural organization, and functional versatility, offering a framework for the
development of new materials for energy, sustainability, and chemical technologies.
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Electronic structure, charge-transfer and triplet-multiplet spectroscopy and electrochemistry of transition-metal phthalocyanines
May 21 2026
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Creating new electron-deficient types of functional dyes that are potentially useful as electron acceptors in solar cells
mAY 19 2026
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Halide Perovskites for solar energy conversion
May 18 2026
Abstract
Halide perovskites are a class of hybrid organic–inorganic semiconductors that have rapidly transformed photovoltaics R&D over the past 15 years, thanks to their outstanding optoelectronic properties and low-cost fabrication potential. Their rise has led to remarkable improvements in solar cell efficiencies, positioning them as strong candidates for next-generation photovoltaic technologies.
In this seminar, I will briefly review the key factors behind this success and then focus on the main challenges still hindering large-scale commercialization. In particular, I will discuss stability issues and their impact on long-term device performance, as well as the problem of lead toxicity in high-efficiency perovskite compositions, examining current strategies for lead replacement and the associated trade-offs. These aspects will be addressed through recent research efforts, highlighting ongoing work aimed at improving device stability and developing more sustainable materials.
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La figura del Project Manager (PM) - Associazione Italiana di Ingegneria Chimica- Ing. Piergiorgio Rosso
May 6 2026 at 3 pm
The seminar will present the typical organization of process industries, with particular reference to the role of the Project Manager (PM), a key figure in managing the entire lifecycle of corporate projects, from feasibility studies to the completion of the plant/project. It will briefly illustrate the relationships and complex dynamics the PM is subject to, as a point of reference for the company, the client, those working on the project (internal and external human resources), and suppliers, while ensuring compliance with deadlines and budgets. It will also cover daily interactions with numerous professional roles and the monitoring of work carried out by various resources in order to avoid delays or issues. Finally, some examples will be provided regarding project documentation, risk analysis, and failure analysis.
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Overlooked Causes and Costly Consequences of Gross Inaccuracies in Binding Studies: Time to Act
May 6 2026 10:30 am
Reliable decision-making in drug discovery, chemical biology, and diagnostic development depends on
accurate measures of molecular recognition and function. Yet binding studies often treat imprecision, that
is, random error, as the sole marker of data quality, while overlooking inaccuracy, that is, systematic bias. In
this seminar, I will explain why standard assays for binding affinity (Kd) can hide systematic deviations of
orders of magnitude, even when curve fits look acceptable and standard errors are small.
Drawing on our recent theoretical and experimental studies [1-9], I will show how amplified propagation of
concentration errors in nonlinear regression models can greatly change apparent Kd values and distort
decisions in hit triage and candidate ranking. I will also demonstrate accessible browser-based tools for
estimating the accuracy of Kd from individual binding curves. The discussion will remain at the level of
general principles while also illustrating their relevance to aptamers and aptasensors [10-12].
Finally, I will outline the goals of an emerging consortium that brings together academic laboratories with
instrumentation and high-throughput screening developers to establish reliable experimental practices and
consensus reporting standards.
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Microemulsions as Electrolytes: Physical Properties, Structure and Electrochemistry
April 27 2026
As part of a center devoted to discovering new types of electrolytes for energy storage, our research explores microemulsions as breakthrough electrolytes for integration into redox flow batteries (RFBs). Microemulsions are thermodynamically stable homogeneous solutions stabilized by surfactants in which oil and water do not separate. This unique solution enables us to decouple the electrical conductivity of aqueous salt solutions from the energy density of
the dissolved redox active molecule in the oil phase. The project provides perhaps the most comprehensive research on microemulsions reported.
Our investigations attempt to unravel the intricate behavior of physical properties and the structure of microemulsions when interfaced with electrified environments. After determining phase diagrams of the mixtures to identify regions in which the microemulsions were likely to be homogeneous and bicontinuous, we have carried out extensive characterization of their structure using multiple methods including neutron scattering and NMR methods. We examine the structural dynamics governing microemulsions in the bulk and at the electrode interfaces using techniques such as neutron reflectivity and computational probes. This comprehensive understanding is instrumental in deciphering the mechanisms underlying electron transfer reactions within these systems, shedding light on their electrochemical performance and potential applications in energy storage technologies.
We then describe studies of electrochemistry of oil-soluble redox active species in microemulsions and their use in redox flow batteries (RFBs). We combine oil subphases containing hydrophobic redox active components with an aqueous subphase containing ions, thereby achieving aqueous-level conductivity with the broader selection and higher redox potential of organic redox material, creating a unique electrolyte type for the RFB. Initially, we studied the electrochemistry of ferrocene in bi-continuous TWEEN/toluene/water microemulsions, with ferrocene dissolved in the toluene. Remarkably facile electrochemistry was observed, leading to a hypothesis concerning the ionic transfer processes associated with the formation of ferricenium ion. A principal question was whether the ferricenium is ejected from the liquid phase, a process that seems incompatible with the facile electrochemistry. We will elaborate on the possible process occurring. To further elucidate this process, a series of ring-substituted ferrocene derivatives of varying hydrophobic character was studied, as was the effects of including hydrophobic salts in the microemulsion.
To further inform aspects of the formulation of microemulsions for flow batteries, we augmented our experimental work with several machine-learning studies to discover microemulsion and electroactive component information.
Finally, RFBs based on these systems will be described, including some discussion of the interactions of the microemulsions with porous electrodes and membrane separators. In addition to that discussion, we will describe recent work with possible alternative electrolytes for use in the microemulsion-RFB.
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Multiscale Biomaterials Chemistry: Towards Nervous System Repair
22 April 2026
The versatility of multiscale biomaterials can be exploited to improve outcomes across the field
of tissue engineering. Inorganic, mesoporous nanoparticles, including porous silicon and
mesoporous silica nanoparticles, offer several advantageous properties, including high surface
area and pore volume for drug loading, ease of surface chemistry modifications, tunable
nanoparticle size and pore diameters, and are biodegradable/biocompatible, making them
attractive nanocarriers for drug deliver applications. These properties also make them especially
useful in the incorporation of nanoparticles into biomaterial scaffolds to alter material properties,
protect sensitive therapeutics during fabrication, and tailor drug release properties. Microgels,
hydrogels composed of microparticles ranging in size from 1-1000 μm, have begun to emerge
as one of the most promising building blocks of three dimensional structures. This is due to their
unique properties, including porosity between particles allowing for cellular infiltration and
nutrient/waste exchange, large surface area to volume ratios increasing cellular adhesion points,
and shear-thinning enabled injectability. Using these nano- and micro-scale materials as building
blocks, we are creating digital light projection, 3D-printed macrostrucutres composed of these
materials to interface and improve outcomes in the nervous system. Integrating nanoparticle
and microgel design concepts into multiscale biomaterials engineering holds great promise
across bioengineering.
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Molecular Optogenetics Programming Cells and Biomaterials with Light
March 31st 2026
Molecular optogenetic technologies allow the control of cellular signaling processes along the whole signal
transduction cascade with unmatched spatial and temporal resolution.
Based on an overview of molecular photoreceptors, we will present three aspects of our work: First, we will
present extracellular optogenetic strategies to dynamically modulate biological and mechanical properties
of the extracellular matrix. Here, we demonstrate that the functional coupling of photoreceptors to chemical
polymers, biomolecules and surfaces allows the control of key features of matrix-cell interactions.
We further develop the concept of engineering intracellular liquid materials comprising synthetic or natural
transcription factors to adjust transgene activity. We describe different approaches for the stimulus-inducible
formation of liquid transcription factor condensates and demonstrate that these colocalize with target
promoters and yield a several-fold increased transgene activity compared to the non-engineered
transcription factor. We demonstrate that this concept can be applied to different transcription factors to
increase target gene activity in cell culture and in mice.
Finally, we will present recent work on shape-morphing materials where we program mammalian and
bacterial cells to induce autonomous, reversible shape morphing in engineered living materials.
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Global Woman Breakfast (GWB)
10/02/2026
he Macroarea of Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences is pleased to invite you to an engaging meeting on the richness of voices and STEM disciplines in order to build a more inclusive science.
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Dalla Ricerca al Mercato
18/02/2026
Dalla ricerca al mercato
Introduction
Prof.ssa Simona Ranallo - University of Tor Vergata
Speakers
Stefano Gay - Scouting Manager Day One
Paolo Baione - Product Manager Day One
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