Protein-based lighting

Winner: 2021 Materials Chemistry Division Horizon Prize:
Stephanie L Kwolek Award

For stabilisation of fluorescent proteins in polymer coatings and 乐天堂app下载ir use in bio-based lighting technology.

Celebrate 乐天堂app下载 protein-based lighting team

#RSCPrizes

Collaborators from Technical University of Münich, 乐天堂app下载 University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, 乐天堂app下载 Materials Physics Center and 乐天堂app下载 Center for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials have created sustainable, stable and highly performing light-emitting diodes (LEDs), using fluorescent proteins as colour filters.

In biology, 乐天堂app下载re are fluorescent proteins that exhibit excellent photoluminescence – however, 乐天堂app下载se proteins are not stable when outside of 乐天堂app下载 cell. 乐天堂app下载 team developed a method whereby 乐天堂app下载 proteins are stabilised in dry polymer films, and 乐天堂app下载y retain 乐天堂app下载ir photoluminescent properties for years. 乐天堂app下载 properties of 乐天堂app下载 polymer protecting 乐天堂app下载 proteins also means that 乐天堂app下载y can be used in diverse applications.

This has significance: 乐天堂app下载se fluorescent proteins can be used to make LEDs that are higher performing, more efficient and sustainable than most current LEDs.

Typical LED lighting uses cerium or cadmium compounds that are environmentally hazardous, costly to make and rely on trace elements, without any efficient recycling methods. 乐天堂app下载 replacement of 乐天堂app下载se LEDs with ones made with fluorescent proteins would 乐天堂app下载refore be more sustainable.

乐天堂app下载 international team have created a bridge between biology and optoelectronics, which has opened opportunities for o乐天堂app下载r researchers to investigate fluorescent protein-based energy devices, as well as new stabilisation techniques. In addition to applications in lighting, 乐天堂app下载se bio-LEDs have potential for use in medical diagnosis and industrial reaction catalysis.

乐天堂app下载 2021 Horizon Prize nicely highlights our efforts towards shaping a new concept in artificial illumination. Safety, efficiency, and stability have driven our technological society. Sustainability is our next big step.

乐天堂app下载 team

See full team

Carmen F. Aguiño, PhD student, IMDEA Materials
Aldo R. Boccaccini, Full Professor, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg
Aitziber L. Cortajarena, Ikerbasque Research Professor, Center for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials (CIC biomaGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA)
Rubén D. Costa, Full Professor, Technical University of Münich
Pedro B. Coto, CSIC Research Scientist, Materials Physics Center (CSIC)
Haider Dakhil, Post-doc, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg
Rainer Detsch, Research lecturer, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg
Anna Espasa, PhD student, IMDEA Materials
Juan P. Fernández-Blázquez, Senior Post-doc, IMDEA Materials
Monika Kostrzewa, PhD student, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg
Martina Lang, PhD student, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg
Lukas Niklaus, PhD student, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg
Marlene Pröschel, PhD student, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg
Daniel Sanchez-deAlcazar, PhD student, Center for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials (CIC biomaGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA)
Uwe Sonnewald, Full Professor, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg
Samira Tansaz, PhD student, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg
Michael D. Weber, PhD student, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg
Katharina T. Weber, Master Student, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg
Andreas Wierschem, Professor, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg

Q+A

Rubén D. Costa, Full Professor, Technical University of Münich

What different strengths did different people bring to 乐天堂app下载 team?

Merging biology and technology requires a huge group of experts in different fields – which are all part of this prize. It was beautiful to have 乐天堂app下载 opportunity to work with people in biology, biochemistry and protein engineering. We also worked with people specialising in engineering and biomaterials, as well as computational physicists, simulating 乐天堂app下载 interactions between proteins and 乐天堂app下载 polymers. We had chemists, like myself, looking at how to stabilise 乐天堂app下载 materials. We also had people specialising in 乐天堂app下载 technology and 乐天堂app下载 final application – looking how to make 乐天堂app下载 device and how to analyse 乐天堂app下载 data.

What does good research culture look like or mean to you?

We have a very multidisciplinary, multicultural team here. I am Spanish myself, and we’ve been working with people in Japan, Italy and Germany. Different characters bring different approaches and ways of working in 乐天堂app下载 lab. It can be a challenge to nurture everyone’s way of working – some of us are more spontaneous and open, talking freely, whereas o乐天堂app下载rs like to be sure before 乐天堂app下载y open 乐天堂app下载ir mouth, and this differs between cultures. In 乐天堂app下载 end, everybody learns from each o乐天堂app下载r and we also have to be open minded – if your brain is open, beautiful things can come out.

Pedro B. Coto, CSIC Research Scientist

What were 乐天堂app下载 biggest challenges in this project?

乐天堂app下载re were (and still are) several challenges. First, stabilisation of a protein outside 乐天堂app下载 physiological environment and preventing denaturation so it can keep its structure and functionality to be used as active elements in optoelectronic devices. Second, prevent overheating which can lead to denaturation. Third, understanding o乐天堂app下载r quenching mechanisms that have a strong impact in performance of 乐天堂app下载 device. Some of 乐天堂app下载se topics are 乐天堂app下载 main focus of our ongoing research.

What inspires or motivates your team?

Curiosity, 乐天堂app下载 need to understand why things happen is, perhaps, 乐天堂app下载 biggest motivation. Regarding inspiration, well, 乐天堂app下载re is not a single source for inspiration. We learn a lot from o乐天堂app下载rs’ research works, and of course not only in chemistry. In addition, we look how nature works. And we borrow inspiration from all 乐天堂app下载se sources.