IN-PERSON EVENT. REGISTER HERE TO ATTEND!

By Prof. Vipul Bansal, Sir Ian Potter NanoBioSensing Facility, NanoBiotechnology Research Laboratory, School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia

Abstract:Nanomaterials are well-known for their impressive catalytic activity. However, recently, an increasing number of inorganic nanomaterials have been discovered to behave similarly to the natural biomolecular enzymes, and they are typically referred to as ‘NanoZymes’. This biomimetic activity of nanomaterials is establishing NanoZymes as artificial inorganic enzymes, and the research field has just begun to explore this unique property of nanomaterials for a range of applications from diagnostics to therapy. In particular, the focus of our team has been to (i) discover nanozyme activity in new materials (1-3); (ii) develop material synthesis approaches that show multiple or new enzyme-like activities in a single or hybrid material, e.g. nanozymes with apparent mimicry of diverse mammalian enzymes, including unique pan-glycosidases (3); (iii) understand the mechanism of nanozyme activity in nanomaterials (3); (iv) modulate nanozyme activity through external stimuli such as light (4); (v) use nanozymes to develop highly specific colorimetric biosensors (1-2, 5-7) and (vi) explore the potential of nanozymes for therapeutic applications such as pro-drug therapy (3) and photo-activatable antimicrobials (4). We have achieved this progress by studying the nanozyme activity of over 100 nanomaterials which has allowed us to draw some generalized trends about the behavior of nanozymes. In this talk, we will discuss some of these recent developments. 

Short Bio: Professor Vipul Bansal is the Founding Director of the Sir Ian Potter NanoBioSensing Facility and leads a multidisciplinary research team at RMIT University. He considers himself a social entrepreneur and is passionate about two things – mentoring the next generation of research leaders and facilitating the translation of nanotechnologies from the bench-side to the bedside. He has published over 200 well-cited papers and supervised over 35 PhD theses. Five of these are permanent faculties and the majority are well-established in industries. Vipul’s academic journey began in India with a PhD in NanoBiotechnology from the National Chemical Laboratory (2007), following which he began his independent career in Australia with the support of ARC APD and Future Fellowships. His fundamental interest in understanding the complexities of nano-bio interactions enabled him to achieve clinical and commercial translation of bio- and nanotechnologies. He has successfully licensed and ‘sold’ several patents. MedTech products from his lab are at different stages of the translation journey. These include a nanoparticle theragnostic agent that is being used in cancer patients in conjunction with CAR-T cell immunotherapies and a point-of-care sensor for the detection of vaginal infections. Vipul’s Google Scholar Profile.

Hosted by ICREA Prof. Arben Merkoçi,  Nanobioelectronics and Biosensors Group Leader at ICN2.