Fall 2024 Seminar Series

November 20, 2024

Spectro-electrochemistry of Metal Oxide based Electrochemical Systems

Anna Friederike Staerz, assistant professor, Colorado School of Mines

4:00 p.m., Larrañaga Engineering Auditorium, Centennial Engineering Center

Abstract: The Staerz group has developed a novel set-up that allows us to probe the chemical changes using diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) spectroscopy while simultaneously gaining insights into charge transfer processes using impedance spectroscopy. In DRIFT spectroscopy, the sample is illuminated by an infrared (IR) beam, and the scattered (rather than transmitted) light is collected using the appropriate optics. Not only does this configuration lend itself to in operando measurements, DRIFT spectroscopy has also been found to be more surface sensitive than other IR techniques. In impedance spectroscopy a small sinusoidal perturbation (voltage/current) is applied to a device in steady state, over wide range of frequencies, at an optional bias. Depending on the processes affecting charge transfer in the device, the output signal will vary versus the input. Using this technique it is possible to differentiate between charge transfer processes within materials and across interfaces, e.g. at the metal oxide surface This presentation, will begin with results attained using both methods separately on different metal oxide systems. After which, the bottom up design of the novel measurement set-up will be described and results attained using the techniques simultaneously will be shown.

Bio: Anna studied chemistry at the Eberhard Karls University of Tuebingen in southern Germany. After completing her master’s degree, she joined the research group of Prof. Udo Weimar and Dr. Nicolae Barsan. In April 2020 she completed her PhD in which she looked at the surface chemistry of semiconducting metal oxide based sensors using operando diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy. In October 2020, she joined the research group of Prof. Harry Tuller at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a postdoctoral associate. There she examined how binary oxide additives influence the oxygen reduction reaction on potential solid oxide fuel cell cathodes using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. In 2022, she worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the IMEC in the group of Prof. Philippe M. Vereecken. Here she worked on stabilizing copper electrocatalysts for low temperature CO2 reduction. She has been an assistant professor in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering at Colorado School of Mines since January 2023. Her group works on coupling vibrational and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy to study metal oxide based electrochemical systems in operando.

November 13, 2024

Toward Clean Energy: Scalable Batteries for Large Scale Storage

Esther S. Takeuchi, SUNY Distinguished Professor and William and Jane Knapp Chair in Energy and the Environment, Stony Brook University

4:00 p.m., Larrañaga Engineering Auditorium, Centennial Engineering Center

Abstract: Electricity generation is the second largest source of emissions in the US. Implementation of clean and renewable energy generation using solar or wind power is challenged by their inherent intermittency as they require storage to balance supply and demand. Large-scale energy storage systems suitable for pairing with renewable energy generation require low-cost materials and safety. A promising candidate for large scale storage is the aqueous Zn-ion battery (AZIB). Zinc metal is a useful anode for aqueous batteries as it possesses a high theoretical capacity (820 mAh/g), low redox potential (-0.76 V vs SHE), and allows for two electron transfers per Zn2+ (de)insertion.

We have investigated several cathode types in aqueous zinc batteries and multiple charge storage mechanisms can be observed. For example, sodium vanadium oxide is a promising insertion material as the size of Na+ is larger than Zn2+ facilitating ion diffusion within the lattice. During discharge, one of the phases that forms within a zinc battery system is zinc hydroxy-sulfate (Zn4(SO4)(OH)6·5H2O (ZHS) and has been attributed to H+ insertion in NVO where the H+ insertion is accompanied by local pH change and precipitation of the ZHS. We used in-situ and operando methods to probe the competing zinc ion and proton insertion mechanisms for discharge of NVO. Other cathode systems such as manganese oxide, MnO2, are also attractive candidates for rechargeable aqueous zinc batteries. In this case, rather than insertion, a dissolution-deposition mechanism can be observed using spatially and temporally resolved synchrotron methods. The dissolution is electrochemically driven and reverses with deposition of the manganese on the cathode current collector during charge.

Determining the reaction progression within thick electrodes while under load is an important aspect of scaling batteries appropriately, where these results can have relevance to development of future sustainable energy storage systems. Operando methods that can be used to inform the progression of the reaction in various locations within the electrode are featured in this presentation.

Bio: Dr. Esther S. Takeuchi is a SUNY Distinguished Professor and the William and Jane Knapp Chair in Energy and the Environment at Stony Brook University. She holds a joint appointment at Brookhaven National Laboratory as Chief Scientist and Chair of the Interdisciplinary Science Department. Previously, she was employed at Greatbatch, Inc., where her work was instrumental in the development of the lithium/silver vanadium oxide battery, the power source of life-saving implantable cardiac defibrillators. Dr. Takeuchi is a prolific inventor with > 150 patents.

Dr. Takeuchi is a nationally and internationally recognized scientist. She is a member of National Academy of Engineering, the National Inventors Hall of Fame, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, is a Charter Member of the National Academy of Innovation was awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation. She received the E. V Murphree and Astellas Awards from the American Chemical Society and the Electrochemical Society (ECS) Battery Division Technology award. She is a Fellow of the ECS, the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She has received the European Inventor Award, the Sigma Xi Walston Chubb Innovation Award, an honorary Doctorate in Engineering from Notre Dame University, the ECS Edward G. Acheson Award and was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She is the recipient of the 2022 National Academy of Sciences Chemical Sciences Award. She recently received the Yeager Award from the IBA - International Battery Materials Association and the DOE Energy Achievement Award from the Secretary of Energy.

October 30, 2024

Solid Electrolyte Interphase Designs for Next-Generation Metal Batteries

Shuya Wei, Assistant Professor, Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of New Mexico

4:00 p.m., Larrañaga Engineering Auditorium, Centennial Engineering Center

Abstract: Advances in the basic science and engineering principles of electrochemical energy storage are imperative for significant progress in electronic devices. Metal-based batteries, utilizing metals such as Li, Na, Al, and Zn as anodes, have garnered considerable attention due to their potential to enhance anode-specific capacity by up to 10 times compared to current state-of-the-art Li-ion batteries that employ graphitic anodes. These metal anodes also enable the use of highly energetic simple molecules like sulfur, oxygen, and carbon dioxide as cathodes, further enhancing the energy density at the cell level. However, a persistent challenge faced by most metal batteries is their tendency to fail due to short-circuits caused by dendrite growth during battery recharge and the increased resistance within the cell due to internal side reactions with the liquid electrolyte. In this presentation, I will discuss our research, which combines ion transport modeling and contemporary experimental efforts to gain a fundamental understanding and develop rational designs for electrode-electrolyte interphases. These designs aim to overcome the challenges associated with metal-based batteries. Specifically, our research has demonstrated that porous electrodes on the anode side can mitigate dendrite formation by increasing the effective diffusion-limited current density. Additionally, we have successfully designed cathodes and electrolytes to pair a metal anode with a small molecule (CO2) gas cathode, resulting in rechargeable metal-CO2 batteries. These developments pave the way for addressing the limitations of metal-based batteries and advancing their practical applications.

Bio: Dr. Shuya Wei is an assistant professor in the Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering at the University of New Mexico (UNM). She earned her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University in 2017 and a B.Eng. in Bioengineering from Nanyang Technological University in 2013. Following her doctorate, she served as a postdoctoral fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 2017 to 2019. Dr. Wei is a recipient of the ORAU Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award and the ACS Petroleum Research Fund Doctoral New Investigator (DNI) Award. Her research is dedicated to elucidating the fundamental aspects of electrochemical processes at electrodes and electrode/electrolyte interfaces. Building on this knowledge, she aims to develop advanced metal-based batteries with high energy density for applications in energy and the environment.

October 23, 2024

Preclinical Patient-Derived Cancer Models to Advance Personalized Medicine

Mara P. Steinkamp, Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology, UNM

4:00 p.m., Larrañaga Engineering Auditorium, Centennial Engineering Center

Abstract: With the move towards personalized medicine to treat cancer, there is a need for preclinical models that reflect the genetic heterogeneity of the patient population, while also reconstituting the cancer immune microenvironment. My lab has focused on developing patient-derived models for in vitro and in vivo testing of novel therapies for ovarian cancer treatment. By engrafting primary high grade serous ovarian cancer cells into the peritoneal cavity of immunocompromised mice, we have developed 13 patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models of disseminated ovarian cancer from a diverse group of patients with platinum-sensitive and platinum-resistant/refractory disease. We have shown that tumors from these PDX can be readily cultured as 3-D organoids for high-throughput screening of candidate therapies. Using a 3D viability assay, we have demonstrated that these organoids reflect the patient’s clinical designation of platinum-sensitive versus platinum-resistant disease. These organoids can be co-cultured with immune cells to study how certain immune cell populations influence response to therapy. Co-culturing OvCa organoids with pro-tumor macrophages promoted resistance to a standard chemotherapy, paclitaxel. Repolarization of these macrophages towards an anti-tumor phenotype reduced cancer cell viability in the presence of paclitaxel. Finally, we have grown these PDX tumors in mice that have been engrafted with human immune cells to produce “humanized” mice. PDX tumors grown in humanized mice recruit tumor-associated macrophages as well as CD8 and CD4 T cells that are important for modeling response to immunotherapies. Importantly, different PDX models show differential recruitment of immune cells likely due to differences in cytokine production by each PDX. We are using these clinically relevant models to understand how the human immune system influences response to therapies. They are ideal for testing novel therapies or combination therapies to optimize treatment across our ovarian cancer patient population.

Bio: Dr. Mara Steinkamp is originally from upstate New York where her first lessons in genetics were as a kid helping her father breed daylilies. She graduated from Williams College in Massachusetts with a BA in Biology and English. After graduation, she worked at the Children’s Hospital in Boston as a research technician in Dr. Ellis Neufeld’s lab identifying a gene mutated in Thiamine-Responsive Megaloblastic Anemia. She received her PhD from the University of Michigan in the Department of Human Genetics where she studied mutations in the Androgen Receptor found in anti-androgen-resistant prostate cancer patients and characterized their effect on receptor function. Dr. Steinkamp came to UNM as a postdoctoral fellow mentored by Dr. Bridget Wilson and Dr. Diane Lidke. During her postdoctoral fellowship, she studied the receptor tyrosine kinase ErbB3 and its interactions with ErbB2/Her2. She became a research assistant professor in 2014 and developed a research program using animal models to study ovarian cancer dissemination throughout the peritoneal cavity. As part of the Spatiotemporal Modeling of Cell Signaling Center, she collaborated with mathematical modelers on 2D simulations of ErbB receptor interactions on the membrane and 3D ovarian cancer models to optimize drug delivery methods. In 2018, Dr. Steinkamp was hired as an assistant professor tenure track in the Department of Pathology where she has focused on developing patient-derived models of ovarian cancer to advance the translation of novel therapies to the clinic. Dr Steinkamp is the Director of the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Animal Models Shared Resource where she has established mouse models with a reconstituted human immune system to allow for cutting edge immunotherapy research here at UNM and she is a member of the Cellular and Molecular Oncology Program at the Cancer Center.

October 2, 2024

Bioinspired Approaches to Design Sustainable Polymeric Materials

Eileen Seo, ASU

4:00 p.m., Larrañaga Engineering Auditorium, Centennial Engineering Center

Abstract: Biological systems are exquisitely adapted to respond to their environments where a range of important functions are regulated through diffusion, chemical reactions, and self-assembly. The translation of these principles to coherently manage multiple complex properties is critical for advancing the versatility, resilience, and energy efficiency of modern materials. Drawing inspiration from these abilities, the Seo lab designs materials that include weak links capable of achieving self-repairing and reprocessability by shifting the equilibrium state using stimuli. Eileen will first talk about tailorable nanoparticle-based bonds designed as multivalent crosslinks to drive the assembly of linear polymer chains into a polymer network. This work not only demonstrates how tailorable nanoparticles can be used to precisely engineer materials properties but also introduces the concept of recyclable nanoparticle-based bonds in nanocomposites via reversible assembly and disassembly processes. She will then discuss how photochemically controlled polymerizations can be used to synthesize polymer networks, enabling 3D printing of chemically reprocessable polymer networks through photo-reactivation.

Bio: Prof. S. Eileen Seo is an Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering and a Core Faculty member of the Center for Sustainable Macromolecular Materials and Manufacturing at Arizona State University. Eileen earned her B.S. in Chemical Biology at UC Berkeley in 2011. She then pursued graduate studies in Chemistry at Northwestern University under the guidance of Prof. Chad Mirkin. After completing her Ph.D. in 2018, she did postdoctoral work at UC Santa Barbara with Prof. Craig Hawker. Her research interests revolve around dynamic polymeric and nanocomposite material design, with a particular emphasis on photochemical polymer chemistries, nanotechnology, self-assembly, and additive manufacturing. Her research focuses on the discovery of solutions for materials sustainability and human health. Her group is currently funded by DOE, NSF, NIST, NRF (National Research Foundation of Korea), Global Center for Water Technology, and Biodesign Institute at ASU. She received the Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award and Engineering for One Planet Faculty Fellowship in 2023.

September 25, 2024

Sensor-based Detection of Biomarkers for Early-stage Ovarian Cancer

Michael Thompson, Department of Chemistry University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

4:00 p.m., Larrañaga Engineering Auditorium, Centennial Engineering Center

Abstract: Ovarian cancer (OC) results in some 150,000 deaths worldwide of nearly 300,000 new cases each year. Unfortunately, only 20 % of patients are diagnosed at the early stages (I and II) of the disease when treatment is most effective, leading to a 5- year relative survival rate of only 20 %. Early diagnosis of OC improves survival rate to 93 %; however, there is a lack of early diagnose due to few specific symptoms being observed, and the absence of reliable, cost-effective mass screening techniques. Several biomarkers have been identified for OC, of which cancer antigen-125 (CA125) is the only one currently clinically approved. However, the use of the CA125’assay is limited to high-risk women, and it is often performed with a transvaginal ultrasound. Although CA125 is elevated in over 90 % of late-stage OC cases, it is elevated in only 50 % of early-stage cases and can yield false-positive and false-negative results A highly attractive possibility with regard to biomarker detection would be the incorporation of a biosensor into the conventional automated robotic system to process and test patient samples. Such a technology would require device reversible signalling or flow-through cleaning, appropriate sensitivity and, critically, the capability of operation in a biological fluid. The reality is that the issue of fouling by components of such fluids has constituted a major problem. In our research we have focussed on lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) which is a distinctly attractive potential biomarker for OC with high sensitivity (98 %) and specificity. The normal level of LPA in the body is 0–5 μM, but increases to 5–50 μM in OC, even in stage I. In our research, we are employing three different biosensor-based strategies for LPA detection in tandem with that for CA-125. These techniques include an ultra-high frequency acoustic wave device, a chemiluminescence-based iron oxide nanoparticle (IONP) approach and electrochemical detection based on both square wave and differential pulse voltammetry. For assay of LPA all these methods incorporate the protein complex gelsolin-actin, which enables testing for detection of the biomarker binding to the complex results in separation of gelsolin from actin. In proof of concept experiments, each of the approaches is capable of the detection of LPA at the sub micromole level. In addition to the work with LPA we are developing an electrochemical system for the tandem assay of CA-125 which is based on an aptamer probe for the marker.

September 18, 2024

Reconstructing the Stem Cell Niche: Investigating Human Development and Disease

Quinton Smith

4:00 p.m., Larrañaga Engineering Auditorium, Centennial Engineering Center

Abstract: The emergence of human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technologies has introduced a transformative avenue for uncovering the intricacies underlying human development, disease, and tissue homeostasis. While iPSCs inherently possess the potential to differentiate into nearly any cell type within the body, their effective differentiation hinges on precise conditions that steer their fate. Although genetic tools and in vivo models have illuminated the signaling pathways guiding stem cell fate, translating these cues to in vitro environments often lacks the mechanical and architectural context, or niche, that orchestrates developmental processes. The Smith lab strategically employs engineering methodologies to fabricate microenvironments that mirror facets of the stem cell milieu. The overall goal of these approaches in the Smith lab is to advance the development of in vitro tools for guiding lineage specification, ultimately leading to the creation of model systems conducive to investigating various dimensions of stem cell fate determination. Specifically, the Smith lab is interested in controlling germ layer specification and mimicking gastrulation in a dish, as well as building models of the placenta, vasculature, and liver.

Bio: Quinton Smith is an Assistant Professor in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), and holds joint appointments in the Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering. He received his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of New Mexico in 2011 and his Ph.D. in chemical and biomolecular engineering from Johns Hopkins University in 2017. As a graduate student, he was mentored by Dr. Sharon Gerecht and used engineering approaches to investigate the role of mechanical forces on stem cell differentiation towards vascular populations. He was named a Siebel Scholar as a graduate student, and the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program and a National Institutes of Health F31 fellowship supported his work. As a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Hanna Gray Postdoctoral fellow under the mentorship of Dr. Sangeeta Bhatia at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dr. Smith focused on leveraging microfluidic and organoid technology to model liver development and morphogenic processes. Dr. Smith was recently named a PEW Biomedical Scholar, which supports his research at UCI using stem cell-based model systems to study health disparities in the context of metabolic and cardiovascular disorders.

September 11, 2024

Aging and senescence at single-cell resolution

Jude Phillip

4:00 p.m., Larrañaga Engineering Auditorium, Centennial Engineering Center

Abstract: During aging, cells undergo numerous changes that limit their ability to maintain tissue and organismal homeostasis and repair. One such mechanism is the age-related accumulation of senescent cells. Senescence is an established driver of aging and is characterized by the upregulation of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors, increased pro-inflammatory secretions, and characteristic changes in cell morphologies. Although these senescence-associated changes are critical to our understanding of senescence across various cell types, it is limited. These limitations stem from the fact that 1) currently, there are no universal biomarkers of senescence, as many cell types do not exhibit uniform shifts in conventional biomarkers, 2) senescence is typically defined as a binary state (senescent or not), and 3), it is unclear whether the age-associated accumulation of senescent cells is due to defective clearance, or whether cells from older adults are more prone to senescence. In my presentation, I will present recent developments from my lab on a new single-cell framework to identify and classify functional subtypes of senescence among aging dermal fibroblasts. Using a combination of experimental and computational approaches, we show that senescence is not a binary phenotype, but a collection of functional subtypes delineated based on morphologies, and the differential expressions of protein-based biomarkers. I will also highlight the role of cellular heterogeneity and the effect of age on the susceptibility to senescence induction. Through our work, we are trying to develop a better understanding of why we age differently, its societal impact, and discuss some long-term goals for developing precision aging strategies to improve the health and longevity of aging individuals.

September 4, 2024

Upcycling Plastic Wastes into High-Performance Materials for Circular Economy

Md Anisur Rahman

4:00 p.m., Larrañaga Engineering Auditorium, Centennial Engineering Center

Abstract: Plastic waste poses a significant global challenge, with approximately 400 million tons produced annually worldwide, yet only about 9% is currently recycled. To advance sustainability initiatives and promote a circular plastic economy, these wastes should be reconsidered as potential resources for producing valuable chemicals through closed-loop recycling/upcycling processes. Plastic upcycling using covalent adaptive networks offers innovative solutions. These dynamic bonds can selectively break and reform, enhancing toughness, recyclability, self-healing, adhesion, and responsiveness, while these qualities are absent in permanently crosslinked polymers. In a recent study, we upcycled common thermoplastics, using fast-exchangeable dynamic crosslinkers, to create multifunctional vitrimers and composites with enhanced chemical, mechanical, and thermal stability, along with reversible tough adhesion and stretch-induced reversible transparency. Dynamic bonds enable excellent closed-loop recyclability of monomers and crosslinkers, simplifying the separation of mixed plastic feedstocks. This presentation will cover our recent efforts in upcycling plastic waste into vitrimer materials of closed-loop circularity.

Bio: Anisur is a synthetic polymer chemist - R&D Staff in the chemical sciences division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

Anisur earned his M.S. in Organic Chemistry from Tennessee State University in 2014 and his Ph.D. in Organic/Polymer Chemistry from the University of South Carolina in 2019. He joined ORNL in 2020 as a postdoctoral researcher and was promoted to R&D Staff in 2021. His current research mainly focuses on developing sustainable/recyclable polymers and composites for a wide variety of applications including reversible adhesives, CO2 separation, vitrimers, ion-conducting polymers for batteries, self-healing materials, composites, and 3D printing, etc. He has published more than 40 peer-reviewed articles, 3 patents issued and 2 technologies licensed.

August 28, 2024

Precision and Discrete Bottlebrush Polymers: Designing the Future of Synthetic Polymers

Jimmy Lawrence

4:00 p.m., Larrañaga Engineering Auditorium, Centennial Engineering Center

Abstract: Precision synthetic polymers hold significant promise for advancing the design of sustainable materials, enhancing device performance, and enabling precision medicine. A persistent challenge in polymer science, however, is the distribution of molecular weights in synthetic polymers, which introduces structural heterogeneity. This challenge is even more pronounced in branched polymers due to their multilayered dispersity.

This seminar will present our strategies to tackle this challenge by investigating precision bottlebrush polymers (PBP), synthesized through grafting-through polymerization of discrete macromonomers (Đ = 1.0). We will discuss our latest work on discrete and multiblock PBPs, demonstrating how specific side-chain configurations can dramatically alter the polymers' macroscopic properties.

Our results indicate that topological uniformity in PBPs increases packing efficiency, reveals new Langmuir-Blodgett phase transitions, and enables precise control of glass transition temperatures. We have also identified fundamental design principles for bottlebrush polymers. Utilizing these principles, we are developing scalable, sustainable methodologies to enhance polymer properties without additives, eliminate typical property trade-offs, and establish design rules for engineering precision amphiphiles for fundamental studies and healthcare applications.

Bio: Dr. Jimmy Lawrence holds the position of Albemarle Foundation Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry (Adjunct) at Louisiana State University.

He completed his undergraduate and master's degrees in Chemical Engineering at the University of Tokyo. He then joined Schlumberger Japan as an engineer and later moved to Schlumberger R&D in Cambridge, MA, where he developed various chemical sensors for downhole applications. He completed his doctoral studies in Polymer Science and Engineering under Prof. Todd Emrick and postdoctoral training with Prof. Craig J. Hawker at the University of California, Santa Barbara. In 2018, he began his career as an Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering at LSU.

The Lawrence group focuses on the synthesis of molecularly uniform polymers and multifunctional nanoparticles. Recent contributions include designing precision branched polymers with accurate thermomechanical and interfacial properties. The group's current focus is on polymers with molecularly precise structures, aimed at advancing fundamental polymer science and the clinical applications of synthetic polymers. His research is supported by the Louisiana Board of Regents, the ACS Petroleum Research Fund, the NIH MIRA R35, and the NSF CAREER awards.

August 21, 2024

Mandatory Safety Training

Fernando Garzon and Geoff Courtin

4:00 p.m., Larrañaga Engineering Auditorium, Centennial Engineering Center