Abstract:
The synthesis and application of Metal-organic Framework (MOF) and Hydrogen-bonded Organic Framework biocomposites (HOFs) is a rapidly growing area of research. In the last decade researchers have shown that a variety of biomacromolecules can be encapsulated in MOFs by surface immobilization, infiltration, and encapsulation. This presentation will focus on encapsulation methods via the spontaneous self-assembly of MOFs around biomacromolecules (e.g. proteins, enzymes, carbohydrates) and assembly of thereof (e.g. yeast cells) and will canvass our recent work on applying metal-fee HOFs as porous crystalline supports for biomacromolecules.

Bio:
Christian Doonan is a Professor of Chemistry and a South Australian Government Future Industry Making Fellow at the University of Adelaide. He received his PhD at the University of Melbourne and carried out post-doctoral work with Professor Omar Yaghi at the University of California, Los Angeles. His research group focuses on the design and synthesis of Metal-organic Framework materials for application to biotechnology and catalysis. Christian is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and an elected member of the international MOF commission. His research has been recognised through several awards including, an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship and a distinguished lectureship award from the Chemical Society of Japan and in 2024 he was awarded South Australian Government Future Industry Making Fellowship. He has published over 150 papers (H-index of 62 and > 21000 citations). In 2024 Christian became co-editor-in-chief of the RSC journal CrystEngComm.