Discovery of A New Subclass of Class I Ribonucleotide Reductase Ribonucleotide reductases (RNRs) catalyze de novo biosynthesis of deoxynucleotides in almost all organisms that use DNA as their genetic material. They are current drug targets for both cancer and infectious diseases. All RNRs share a common catalytic mechanism initiated by a cysteinyl radical, while the radical generation varies greatly and provides the biochemical basis dividing the RNRs into the three major classes and several subclasses. All class I RNRs contain two subunits, R1 and R2, that are both essential for enzyme activity. Type of Event: Inorganic Seminar Read more about Discovery of A New Subclass of Class I Ribonucleotide Reductase
Thomas Beckler Position: Graduate Students Personal Website: https://www.crichgroup.com/ Read more about Thomas Beckler
“The field of organic chemistry is not exhausted”: Baeyer–Villiger Monooxygenases as a Tunable Biocatalyst Despite the indispensable role they play in modern society, the pharmaceutical and chemical industries often find themselves contending with a less-than-favorable public image, primarily due to concerns surrounding pollution, accidents, and misinformation. Yet, the advent of “Green Chemistry” offers a glimmer of hope for addressing these challenges by not only minimizing environmental impact but also enhancing the efficiency of production processes. Type of Event: Organic Seminar Read more about “The field of organic chemistry is not exhausted”: Baeyer–Villiger Monooxygenases as a Tunable Biocatalyst
Advances in Red Blood Cell-based Biomimetic Carriers for Drug Delivery The evolution of drug delivery systems in the past decades has held great promise for enhancing efficacy of pharmacological agents, however, premature clearance from the circulation, toxic bioaccumulation, and inefficient site-specific delivery are still the major barriers to successful clinical translations. Bioinspired carriers possess natural components similar to the host, and hence are more biocompatible, less toxic, and less immunogenic. Among them, red blood cells (RBCs) possess unique features that make them attractive carriers for drug delivery. Type of Event: Materials Chemistry and Nanoscience Seminar Read more about Advances in Red Blood Cell-based Biomimetic Carriers for Drug Delivery
Self-healing Polymers: Characteristics and Applications The replacement of construction materials such as pipelines, coatings, and seals and biomedical materials such as wound dressings and dental fillings is costly and time consuming. Oftentimes, such inconvenience could be avoided if the lifespan of the materials can be prolonged. Type of Event: Materials Chemistry and Nanoscience Seminar Read more about Self-healing Polymers: Characteristics and Applications
Suture Materials: Current and Emerging Trends Sutures are special threads used in surgical procedures to enable closing and healing of surgical or trauma-induced wounds by upholding tissues together to facilitate healing process. Versatile suture materials are available for medical purpose. However, no single suture material is considered ideal for all situations, requiring clinicians to balance various properties when choosing a material for a particular application. Type of Event: Materials Chemistry and Nanoscience Seminar Read more about Suture Materials: Current and Emerging Trends
Ultra-Low Fouling Coatings for Antimicrobial Biomaterials Antimicrobial coatings are a promising route to prevent healthcare-acquired microbial infections caused by bacterial pathogens in medical contexts.1 To solve the problem of microbial biofouling, surfaces that can passively resist bacterial adhesion have been investigated. Type of Event: Materials Chemistry and Nanoscience Seminar Read more about Ultra-Low Fouling Coatings for Antimicrobial Biomaterials
Heterogeneous Nucleation of Poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyhexanoate) Nucleation comprises the initial step of polymer crystallization, wherein the polymer melt stabilizes into ordered local structures, allowing for points from which polymer crystals can begin to grow. Nucleation quality can significantly impact the materials properties and processability of a polymer and is therefore of high importance to the materials science community. However, the collective understanding of polymer nucleation remains largely empirical. Type of Event: Materials Chemistry and Nanoscience Seminar Read more about Heterogeneous Nucleation of Poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyhexanoate)
Methanobactin: An Intriguing Copper-Chelating Peptide with a Unique Biosynthesis Methanotrophs produce methanobactin (Mbn), a copper-chelating peptide, when copper levels in the environment are low.1,2 These methanotrophs utilize the copper-dependent enzyme methane monooxygenase to oxidize methane, which is the methanotrophs only carbon source. Type of Event: Inorganic Seminar Read more about Methanobactin: An Intriguing Copper-Chelating Peptide with a Unique Biosynthesis