New interdisciplinary global research project to develop infrastructure for nanostructures to advance the frontiers of biosensing and metamaterials.
Nicholas A. Kotov, the Joseph B. and Florence V. Cejka Professor of Chemical Engineering and Irving Langmuir Distinguished University Professor of Chemical Sciences and Engineering at Michigan Chemical Engineering, received funding for a new international research initiative focused on the design and application of chiral nanoparticles. Supported by an ERC Synergy Grant totaling $10.7 million with $3.5 million allocated for U-M, this six-year project brings together world-class researchers from the University of Michigan, CIC biomaGUNE in Spain, and the University of Antwerp in Belgium.
The CHIRAL-PRO project, titled “Design of Chiral Nanoparticles and Assemblies for Enantioselective Protein Recognition,” is set to explore the revolutionary potential of chirality in nanostructures to advance the frontiers of biosensing and metamaterials. By developing nanoparticles with tailored optical properties, the project hopes to achieve precise enantioselective interactions with biological molecules. This could lead to significant advancements in the detection of diseases exemplified by colon cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.
Kotov will lead efforts to integrate advanced artificial intelligence (AI) tools with self-assembly methods, aiming to predict and design interactions between chiral nanoparticles and biomolecules. “Our research fundamentally changes the armamentarium of our people’s fight against these diseases. We create nanoparticles that mimic proteins that can avoid defense mechanisms of cancerous cells,” said Kotov. “By understanding and manipulating chirality at the nanoscale, we are setting the stage for breakthroughs that could transform healthcare and materials science.”
The collaboration is strengthened by Professor Sara Bals at the University of Antwerp, who will focus on three-dimensional electron tomography to elucidate nanoparticle structures, and Professor Luis Liz-Marzán at CIC biomaGUNE, who will lead the synthesis and growth studies of these novel materials.
“This project is a testament to the power of interdisciplinary and international collaboration,” Kotov emphasized. “By pooling our expertise and resources, we are poised to tackle some of the most daunting scientific challenges, generating solutions with tangible benefits for society.”
This ambitious project builds on foundational research supported by the Blue Sky Initiative from the College of Engineering and the initial effort with Prof. Scott vanEpps and Prof. Angela Violi at the University of Michigan, which initially explored the integration of graph theory with nanoparticle interactions. “Without the initial exploratory work through Blue Sky, we might not have reached this stage,” Kotov explained. “The integration of graph theory with AI/ML methods for deciphering complex interactions of nanoparticles and proteins provide us with a versatile toolkit for addressing multiple health challenges.”
As director of the NSF STC COMPASS, Kotov reiterates the opportunities presented by international collaboration across disciplines: “By uniting diverse areas of expertise, we’re not only furthering scientific knowledge but also laying the groundwork for practical solutions with translational effort benefiting all people already initiated with the U-M Partnership for Innovation.”