37
EVENT FORMAT
Lecture
2020
Januar y
12-2 3
Metal-organic Frameworks at the Biointerface
Metal-organic Frameworks (MOFs) are well known for their exceptionally high surface areas and modular synthesis.
Recently, Professor Doonan and his colleagues pioneered an emerging area in MOF science termed ‘Biomimetic
mineralization.’1 This strategy describes the facile, ‘one-pot,’ approach to encapsulating biomacromolecules within
MOF crystals. They showed that the methodology is highly versatile by demonstrating the encapsulation of proteins,
metalloenzymes, carbohydrates, and DNA within MOFs.1,2 A key finding of our research is that the MOF
architecture protects enzymes from external environments that would typically lead to degradation and loss of native
activity.
Their recent work has shown that understanding the surface chemistry of the protein and MOF is crucial to the devel-
opment of this new area of MOF research.
SPEAKER Christian Doonan
CREDITS 1
Professor of Chemistry and Director of the Centre for Advanced Nanomaterials at
Adelaide University
DESCRIPTION