Integrated Calendar

Mesoporous nanostructures offer numerous interesting opportunities regarding elemental composition, molecular functionalization, pore size and topology, and promising applications in many fields. We will discuss two examples from our work, that is, (i) controlled release of bioactive molecules from core-shell mesoporous nanoparticles, and (ii) the design of photovoltaic systems with controlled nano-morphologies.

Building on the multiple functionalities offered by our novel core-shell porous particles, we have created a programmable DNA-based molecular valve for colloidal mesoporous silica. Here, the melting properties of double-stranded DNA oligomers are used for defining the opening temperature of a thermoresponsive molecular valve. The DNA-strands act as thermo-cleavable linkers between the surface of colloidal mesoporous silica and attached avidin protein caps. This approach allows programming the release temperature of guest molecules precisely for the desired application by changing the length and sequence of the applied DNA-linker.
Moreover, we present the successful stabilization of lipid bilayer membranes on mesoporous nanoparticles. We have developed a one-step assembly route that deposits supported lipid bilayers (SLB) on core-shell functionalized colloidal mesoporous silica (CMS) nanoparticles, resulting in a core-shell hybrid system (SLB@CMS). Importantly, we find that these stable SLB@CMS particles loaded with the anticancer drug colchicine are readily taken up by cells and result in an enhanced efficiency to induce depolymerization of microtubules compared to the same dose of drug in solution.

Nanostructured films of TiO2 have enormous potential for applications in photovoltaics and energy storage. However, reaching this potential requires films that simultaneously feature both large and easily accessible surface area and highly crystalline pore walls.
We have developed a new preparation strategy based on fusing preformed titania nanocrystals with surfactant-templated sol-gel titania, which acts as a structure-directing matrix and as a chemical glue. In this "brick and mortar" approach, the “mortar” acts as a reactive precursor for the further growth of the crystalline phase seeded by the nanocrystalline “bricks”. This synergy leads to a significantly lowered temperature needed for crystallization and the preservation of the mesoporous structure. The thin films were investigated using X-ray scattering and TEM measurements to monitor and visualize the seeding effect, crystal growth and mesostructure development during the calcination, respectively. Coatings with a broad variety of periodic mesostructures that are tunable by varying the fraction of the “bricks”, and thicknesses ranging from few nanometers to several micrometers are accessible using the same organic surfactant template. These mesostructured and crystalline films were employed as active layers in thin dye-sensitized solar cells exhibiting high conversion efficiency.

Abstract: The intent of this presentation is to help bridge the gap between the clinical realm and the research laboratory. The clinical literature has a growing mass of evidence showing how disorders such as epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, or surgically-induced injury to peripheral nerve, can have devastating effects on olfactory and gustatory functions. A loss of function might be an early symptom with diagnostic value that helps the clinician identify the disease state. The presentation will introduce the non-clinician to common diagnostic and experimental tests of olfactory and taste functions. Various causes of olfactory loss will be discussed, plus their therapy

Modern mass spectrometry-based proteomics enable us to detect thousands of expressed peptides and proteins per single experiment. For the first time, these high-throughput approaches allow us to formulate the question: “Can we identify and understand proteomes?” Unfortunately, proteomics, like most high-throughput approaches, is poorly validated and often not reliable in life sciences research settings. To remedy this situation, we have to provide common reference points in the form of complex experimental standards and solid computational and statistical methods. This presentation address the proposed question by reviewing the capabilities and limitations of proteomics and focusing on experimental standards, protein identification, quantitation, relative expression, and annotation, and proteome meta-analyses.