About the Project
Solar power is the most abundant and reliable energy source available to us, is globally accessible and is independent of supply risk. As such there is much interest in solar energy capture and storage. This PhD project will take advantage of synthetic biology in order to deliver novel artificial light harvesting protein constructs for solar energy capture and storage. This will be achieved using a multicomponent system based on de novo designed synthetic biology scaffolds, specifically coiled coils. These robust and programmable scaffolds will be chemically modified in order to geometrically arrange chromophores, traps and reaction centres, so as to yield more robust artificial light harvesting proteins with tuneable properties. This is a highly multidisciplinary project incorporating elements of synthetic biology, and the student will gain considerable experience in a range of techniques including, peptide design, synthesis and chemical functionalization.
Early application is encouraged as the position will be filled as soon as a suitable candidate is identified.
Interested candidates are encouraged to informally contact Dr Anna Peacock ([Email Address Removed]) to discuss the project, and can apply formally following instructions in the link:
http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/courses/research/chemistry/chemistry-phd.aspx
Further information about the Peacock group can be found at: http://chemweb.bham.ac.uk/~peacoafa/Peacock_Website.htm
Early application is encouraged as the position will be filled (for a September 2016 start date) as soon as a suitable candidate is identified.
References
• Berwick, M. R.; Slope, L. N.; Smith, C.; King, S. M.; Newton, S. L.; Gillis, R; Adams, G.; Rowe, A.; Harding, S.; Britton, M. M.; Peacock, A. F. A.* “ Location dependent coordination chemistry and MRI relaxivity, in de novo designed lanthanide coiled coils” Chem. Sci., 2016, DOI: 10.1039/c5sc04101e.
• Berwick, M. R.; Lewis, D. J.; Pikramenou, Z.; Jones, A. W.; Cooper, H. J.; Wilkie, J.; Britton, M. M.; Peacock, A. F. A.* “De Novo Design of Ln(III) Coiled Coils for Imaging Applications” J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2014, 136, 1166.
• Peacock, A. F. A.* “Incorporating metals into de novo proteins” Curr. Opin. Chem. Biol., 2013, 17, 934.
• Zastrow, M.; Peacock, A. F. A.; Stuckey, J.; Pecoraro, V. L. “Hydrolytic Catalysis and Structural Stabilization in a Designed Metalloprotein” Nature Chem., 2012, 4, 118.
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