Abstract:

Natural phenomena are often the inspiration for many modern materials and technologies. Through evolution, nature has generated incredible machines/proteins that perform any imaginable function. These machines rely on precise organization and arrangement to function properly. As a result, we make attempts to replicate these phenomena by synthesizing new materials and testing their function in an iterative manner until we succeed. Here, we design, synthesize and characterize peptides to assemble into unique nanoscale architectures. These assemblies were designed to bind and organize energy relevant chromophores like heme and chlorophyll in an attempt to replicate natural functions but with more simple designs. For this presentation, I will highlight a single peptide and the many tailorable functions it possesses. Then, I will emphasize the utility of machine learning as a useful tool in guiding the design of new peptide materials. Finally, I will highlight the future directions of this work with our recent attempts at designing conductive peptide assemblies.

In-Person Location: Bldg. 440, A105/A106

Zoom Link: https://argonne.zoomgov.com/j/1613912289