2023 Thieme Chemistry Journal Awardees (external link)
Presented to up-and-coming researchers in the early stages of their independent academic careers.
Photoactive Organic Materials
The Photoactive Organic Materials research team, led by Research Council of Finland Fellow Eduardo Anaya, focuses on synthesis of optically active small molecules and subsequent (bio)conjugation into light-management materials. We are interested in applications ranging from solar energy conversion, illumination technologies and light-induced therapies in nanomedicine. The research team have a strong organic synthetic background that, with a multidisciplinary approach, place us at the interface between chemistry, physics and biology.
- Daniel's article out in Materials Today Communication, together with the press release!
- News&Views article in Nature Materials out!!
- New publication in J Mater Chem B!
- Dr. Ahmed Shaukat successfully defends his PhD thesis. Congrats and thank you!
- New publication in ACS Nano!
Chem Awards 2022 are chosen
The School of Chemical Engineering rewards outstanding individuals and teams during the year.
Introducing... Eduardo Anaya Plaza (external link)
A new type of profile focusing on first-time corresponding authors. With hundreds of such authors a year, there are many new faces to celebrate.
A greener route to blue – a new method drastically reduces the amount of solvent needed to produce widely used organic dyes
Phthalocyanines dyes can be produced with solid-state synthesis instead of high-boiling organic solvents.
- Organic synthesis of photoactive molecular and supramolecular materials
- Development of biohybrid systems for light-induced therapies
- Synthesis of light-activated self-sterilizing materials
- Energy conversion technologies
- Green chemistry of dyes
Ongoing research projects
Photoactive protein cage biohybrids for light-induced applications
Funded by the Academy of Finland during September 2021 through August 2026, the Photocage project aims to develop a set of high-end materials based on the encapsulation of highly-emitting fluorophores within protein cages.
The core of this project lies in the thorough design, synthesis and study of organic molecules, and the study of the delicate interplay that governs their behaviour in solution, leading to enhanced properties and interaction with the media. Advanced properties, such as generation of singlet oxygen, will be obtained through chemical design. The fundamental knowledge generated will set a novel path toward multimodal and interdisciplinary compounds with potential applications in a broad range of fields like light emitting devices or nanomedicine.
Related publications
- Supercharged Fluorescent Protein-Apoferritin Cocrystals for Lighting Applications
Marta Patrian, Ahmed Shaukat, Mattia Nieddu, Jesus Agustin Banda-Vazquez, Jaakko VI Timonen, Juan Pablo Fuenzalida Werner*, Eduardo Anaya-Plaza*, Mauri A Kostiainen*, Ruben D Costa*
ACS Nano, 2023, 17, 21, 21206-21215 - DNA-origami-directed virus capsid polymorphism
Iris Seitz, Sharon Saarinen, Esa-Pekka Kumpula, Donna McNeale, Eduardo Anaya-Plaza, Vili Lampinen, Vesa P Hytönen, Frank Sainsbury, Jeroen JLM Cornelissen, Veikko Linko, Juha T Huiskonen, Mauri A Kostiainen
Nature Nanotechnology, 2023, 18, 1205-1212 - Simultaneous Organic and Inorganic Host‐Guest Chemistry within Pillararene‐Protein Cage Frameworks
Ahmed Shaukat, Eduardo Anaya‐Plaza, Ngong Kodiah Beyeh, Mauri A Kostiainen
Chemistry - A European Journal, 2022, 28, e202104341 (Hot article, front cover and profile)
Past research projects
SolarSafeLight-mediated self-sterilizing composite cellulosic materials
This project aims to develop self-sterilizing, yet biodegradable, materials, by merging the photoinactivation properties of organic photosensitizers with mechanical properties of cellulose. The team expects that the photoantimicrobial composite film coatings can be applied on various surfaces and utilized in packaging, filters or masks. This project is a collaboration between the Biohybrid Materials group and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, funded by the FinnCERES Flagship of the Academy of Finland.
BioHybrid Optoelectronic Materials
BiHyOMat is an ambitious research project at the interface of chemistry, physics and biology, aiming to produce novel high-end materials for medical and environmental applications. The reversible conjugation of proteins and light absorbing molecules combine the biocompatibility and defined structure of the former with the light-induced properties of the later. In particular, fluorescence and generated of reactive oxygen species have extensive application in sensors, photodynamic therapy or waste-water treatment. This project was funded under the H2020 Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions – Individual Fellowship.
Members
Group pictures
Alumni:
- Kristina Gasthofer (2023, project student)
- Ahmed Shaukat (2023 PhD Thesis, 2019 MSc Thesis, 2018 Summer intern)
- Mikko Korkiakoski (2023 MSc. thesis)
- Obed Rodriguez-Perez (2023 summer intern and part-time project worker)
- Aya Kähäri (2022 project student and 2023 summer intern)
- Anniina Savolainen (2023 MSc. Thesis)
-
Inka Lehtonen (2019 BSc. Thesis)
Selected publications:
- A Greener Route to Blue: Solid‐State Synthesis of Phthalocyanines
Daniel Langerreiter, Mauri A Kostiainen, Sandra Kaabel*, Eduardo Anaya‐Plaza*
Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2022, 61, e202209033. HOT article.- Researcher profile, press release, and cover.
- Supercharged Fluorescent Protein-Apoferritin Cocrystals for Lighting Applications
Marta Patrian, Ahmed Shaukat, Mattia Nieddu, Jesus Agustin Banda-Vazquez, Jaakko VI Timonen, Juan Pablo Fuenzalida Werner*, Eduardo Anaya-Plaza*, Mauri A Kostiainen*, Ruben D Costa*
ACS Nano, 2023, 17, 21, 21206-21215 - Simultaneous Organic and Inorganic Host‐Guest Chemistry within Pillararene‐Protein Cage Frameworks
Ahmed Shaukat, Eduardo Anaya‐Plaza, Ngong Kodiah Beyeh, Mauri A Kostiainen
Chemistry - A European Journal, 2022, 28, e202104341. HOT article. - A Janus-Type Phthalocyanine for the Assembly of Photoactive DNA Origami Coatings
Asma Rahali, Ahmed Shaukat, Verónica Almeida-Marrero, Bassem Jamoussi, Andrés De La Escosura, Tomás Torres*, Mauri A Kostiainen*, Eduardo Anaya-Plaza*
Bioconjugate Chemistry, 2021, 32, 1123-1129. - Phthalocyanine–Virus Nanofibers as Heterogeneous Catalysts for Continuous‐Flow Photo‐Oxidation Processes
Eduardo Anaya‐Plaza, Ana Aljarilla, Grégory Beaune, Nonappa, Jaakko VI Timonen, Andres de la Escosura, Tomas Torres, Mauri A Kostiainen
Advanced Materials, 2019, 31, 1902582
Complete publication list (last five years)
2024
- Antimicrobial efficacy of solar disinfection in cellulose fiber supported photoactive materials
Daniel Langerreiter, Katariina Solin, Mireia Jorda-Redondo, Roger Bresolí-Obach, Lukas Fliri, Santi Nonell,* Mauri A. Kostiainen,* Eduardo Anaya-Plaza*
Materials Today Communications, 2024, 38, 107858. Press release.
2023
- Genetically encoded protein crystals by hierarchical design (News & Views)
Eduardo Anaya-Plaza and Mauri A Kostiainen
Nature Materials, 2023, 22, 1439 - Hierarchical Peroxiredoxin Assembly Through Orthogonal pH-response and Electrostatic Interactions
Eduardo Anaya-Plaza*, Zulal Özdemir, Zdenek Wimmer, Mauri A Kostiainen*
Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 2023, 11, 11544 - Assembly and optically triggered disassembly of lipid-DNA origami fibers
Sofia Julin, Nadine Best, Eduardo Anaya-Plaza, Eeva Enlund, Veikko Linko, Mauri A Kostiainen
Chemical Communications, 2023, 59, 14701 - Supercharged Fluorescent Protein-Apoferritin Cocrystals for Lighting Applications
Marta Patrian, Ahmed Shaukat, Mattia Nieddu, Jesus Agustin Banda-Vazquez, Jaakko VI Timonen, Juan Pablo Fuenzalida Werner*, Eduardo Anaya-Plaza*, Mauri A Kostiainen*, Ruben D Costa*
ACS Nano, 2023, 17, 21, 21206 - DNA-origami-directed virus capsid polymorphism
Iris Seitz, Sharon Saarinen, Esa-Pekka Kumpula, Donna McNeale, Eduardo Anaya-Plaza, Vili Lampinen, Vesa P Hytönen, Frank Sainsbury, Jeroen JLM Cornelissen, Veikko Linko, Juha T Huiskonen, Mauri A Kostiainen
Nature Nanotechnology, 2023, 18, 1205-1212. Press release - Core–Shell Structured Fluorescent Protein Nanoparticles: New Paradigm Toward Zero‐Thermal‐Quenching in High‐Power Biohybrid Light‐Emitting Diodes
Mattia Nieddu, Marta Patrian, Sara Ferrara, Juan Pablo Fuenzalida Werner, Fabian Kohler, Eduardo Anaya‐Plaza, Mauri A Kostiainen, Hendrik Dietz, Jesús Rubén Berenguer, Rubén D Costa
Advanced Science, 2023, 10, 2300069 - Repurposing host-guest chemistry to sequester virulence and eradicate biofilms in multidrug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii
Christopher Jonkergouw, Ngong Kodiah Beyeh, Ekaterina Osmekhina, Katarzyna Leskinen, S Maryamdokht Taimoory, Dmitrii Fedorov, Eduardo Anaya-Plaza, Mauri A Kostiainen, John F Trant, Robin HA Ras, Päivi Saavalainen, Markus B Linder
Nature Communications, 2023, 14, 2141. Press release
2022
- A Greener Route to Blue: Solid‐State Synthesis of Phthalocyanines
Daniel Langerreiter, Mauri A Kostiainen, Sandra Kaabel*, Eduardo Anaya‐Plaza*
Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2022, 61, e202209033. HOT article.- Researcher profile, press release, and cover.
- Electrolyte‐Controlled Permeability in Nanocellulose‐Stabilized Emulsions
Katja Heise, Christopher Jonkergouw, Eduardo Anaya‐Plaza, Valentina Guccini, Timo Pääkkönen, Markus B Linder, Eero Kontturi, Mauri A Kostiainen
Advanced Materials Interfaces, 2022, 9, 2200943 - Simultaneous Organic and Inorganic Host‐Guest Chemistry within Pillararene‐Protein Cage Frameworks
Ahmed Shaukat, Eduardo Anaya‐Plaza, Ngong Kodiah Beyeh, Mauri A Kostiainen
Chemistry - A European Journal, 2022, 28, e202104341. HOT article.
2021
- A Janus-Type Phthalocyanine for the Assembly of Photoactive DNA Origami Coatings
Asma Rahali, Ahmed Shaukat, Verónica Almeida-Marrero, Bassem Jamoussi, Andrés De La Escosura, Tomás Torres*, Mauri A Kostiainen*, Eduardo Anaya-Plaza*
Bioconjugate Chemistry, 2021, 32, 1123-1129. - Biomolecule‐Directed Carbon Nanotube Self‐Assembly
Eduardo Anaya‐Plaza*, Ahmed Shaukat, Inka Lehtonen, Mauri A Kostiainen*
Advanced Healthcare Materials, 2021, 10, 2001162
2020
- Synergy of Electrostatic and π–π Interactions in the Realization of Nanoscale Artificial Photosynthetic Model Systems
Eduardo Anaya‐Plaza, Jan Joseph, Stefan Bauroth, Maximilian Wagner, Christian Dolle, Michael Sekita, Franziska Gröhn, Erdmann Spiecker, Timothy Clark, Andrés de la Escosura, Dirk M Guldi, Tomás Torres
Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2020, 59, 18786-18794 - Phthalocyanine–DNA origami complexes with enhanced stability and optical properties
Ahmed Shaukat, Eduardo Anaya-Plaza, Sofia Julin, Veikko Linko, Tomas Torres, Andrés de la Escosura, Mauri A Kostiainen
Chemical Communications, 2020, 56, 7341-7344 - Highly ordered protein cage assemblies: A toolkit for new materials
Antti Korpi, Eduardo Anaya‐Plaza, Salla Välimäki, Mauri Kostiainen
Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Nanomedicine and Nanobiotechnology, 2020, 12, e1578
2019
- Phthalocyanine–Virus Nanofibers as Heterogeneous Catalysts for Continuous‐Flow Photo‐Oxidation Processes
Eduardo Anaya‐Plaza, Ana Aljarilla, Grégory Beaune, Nonappa, Jaakko VI Timonen, Andres de la Escosura, Tomas Torres, Mauri A Kostiainen
Advanced Materials, 2019, 31, 1902582
Related research and articles
Biohybrid Materials
Group led by Professor Mauri Kostiainen
A sport for gentleman thugs
Rugby is a tough contact sport that requires players to absorb constant hits while maintaining absolute trust in their teammates in every situation – not unlike research work.
Dyes and viruses create new composite material for photooxidation reactions
A recent study shows that native viruses can be employed as a scaffold to immobilise photoactive molecules to potentially oxidise organic pollutants present in wastewater, under visible light irradiation
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