Friday, 10 May 2024 11:00am – 12:00pm

This seminar will be delivered in Lecture Theatre 4

Speaker: Professor Francesco Carraro

Host: Dr Marcello Solomon

Title: Metal and Hydrogen-bonded Organic Framework Biocomposites

Abstract: Proteins are a class of biomacromolecules that include enzymes, antibodies and protein-based therapeutics. They can be exploited for different biotechnological applications, ranging from biocatalysis and biosensing to biomedicine. One of the main limitations to their widespread technological application is their intrinsic fragility, their limited recyclability, and cumbersome product purification. Thus, immobilization in porous solids is a strategy to enhance their stability and recyclability in biocatalysis and biosensing applications, and to improve the efficiency of delivery in biomedicine. In this seminar, an overview of the research we are doing at Graz University of Technology on the immobilization of proteins into Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs) and Hydrogen-bonded Organic Frameworks (HOFs) and the applications of these innovative biocomposites will be discussed. In particular, the seminar will focus on i) Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks (ZIFs, a class of MOFs) biocomposites for biomedical applications^[1-3], ii) the recent development of HOF biocomposites for biocatalysis and biosensing^[4,5] and iii) the use of in situ techniques (e.g. Small and Wide Angle X-ray Scattering) to investigate the assembly of these porous frameworks around proteins.^[2,3,5]

Figure 1. Metal and Hydrogen-bonded Organic Framework Biocomposites

Bio: Assistant Professor Francesco Carraro obtained his PhD in Science and Engineering of Materials and Nanostructures in 2017 at the University of Padova. In the first part of his career, his research was focused on nanostructured heterogeneous catalysts based on inorganic or hybrid materials. These catalysts were applied in the field of energy conversion and chemicals synthesis, while focusing on in operando (i.e. Quick X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy) and in situ (i.e. X-ray Photoemission Spectroscopy, Raman Spectroscopy) characterization techniques. From 2018, at Graz University of Technology, Francesco worked on the preparation of Metal-Organic Framework films and on the encapsulation of biomacromolecules into Metal-Organic Frameworks (i.e. MOF bio-composites), targeting the in situ characterization of these materials by using synchrotron-based characterization techniques (e.g. time-resolved Small/Wide Angle X-ray Scattering). In 2022, he started his independent career as an Assistant Professor (Tenure-Track) at Graz University of Technology. His research is currently focused on Hydrogen-bonded Organic Frameworks biocomposites.