Rational design of bio-organic systems for biomimetic applications

Project period: 2019-2022

Funding: NCN Sonata 14, UMO-2018/31/D/ST4/01475s

PI: dr Silvio Osella

The goal of this project is to expand our knowledge of hybrid, complex protein-graphene interfaces by assembling a multidisciplinary team of computational chemists and physicist. The research project focuses on the computational study of a new hybrid protein-graphene interface, as a possible candidates for bio-electronic devices, such as biosensors, bio-organic photovoltaic cells (bio-OPV) and bio-organic transistors (bio-OFET). The proteins under investigation are small light harvesting proteins (SLPH), interacting with a graphene layer as conducting material as well as charge carrier by means of different molecular linkers (SAM). The interaction and stability of the SLHP/SAM/graphene interface are key parameters to investigate the nature of the interface. Through the use of different computational methods, we will investigate on the one hand the conformational stability and the strength of the interactions at the interface, and on the other hand we will use state-of-the-art methods to account for optoelectronic properties and energy and electron transport mechanisms.

Selected publications

M. Izzo, M. Jacquet, S. Osella, M. Kiliszek, E. Harputlu, A. Starkowska, A. Łasica, G. Unlu, T. Uspienski, P. Niewiadomski, D. Bartosik, B. Trzaskowski, K. Ocakoglu, J. Kargul, "Enhancement of Direct Electron Transfer in Graphene Bioelectrodes Containing Novel Cytochrome c553 Variants with Optimized Heme Orientation", Bioelectrochemistry, 140, 107818 (2021). doi: 10.1016/j.bioelechem.2021.107818