Projects per year
Personal profile
Personal Statement
Lau Laboratory for Bioinspired Molecular Interfaces and Nanomaterials
My research aims to establish the design rules for creating synthetic polymers and nanostructures that mimic the structure and function of natural biomolecules. At the same time, since my biomimetic structures would be governed by the same biophysical principles acting on their natural counterparts, I aim to use these structures as physical models to test hypotheses on the functional mechanisms of the natural systems. This fundamental research into the biophysical and materials chemistryof biomimetic molecules will, in the long-term, expand the possibilities of controlling biological interactions and enable improvements in human health and our ability to fashion material functionality at will.
Proteins and their self-assembled structures, which constitute the molecular machinery performing many of life’s chemical processes, are of particular interest. To reduce the level of complexity and enable chemical routes of investigation, I develop synthetic peptidomimeticpolymers called “peptoids” which closely mimics the chemical structure and properties of peptides, the biomolecules from which proteins are formed. To mimic larger protein structures, I also employ already available synthetic nanostructures, e.g. nanoparticles and nanoporous membranes, as scaffolds on which biofunctional molecules such as peptoids and others can be attached. This research requires development of new nano-characterizationtechniques, such as the nanoporous waveguide spectroscopy that I am developing, as well as chemical methods of integrating synthetic materials with biomolecules (i.e. biofunctionalization). I am therefore also developing reactive polyphenols coatingsformed from plant tannins, that can be used to functionalize a diverse range of materials with proteins, peptoids, and other (bio)molecules.
Overall, my research is highly interdisciplinary and exemplifies the rapidly emerging fields of “bioinspired materials” and “biointerfaces”. The research brings together the experimental synthesis of biomimetic molecules and nanostructures, self-assembly and biofunctionalization, as well as biophysical characterization. This expertise may also enable nearer-term applications in biomaterials, sensing (e.g. environmental monitoring, medical diagnostics) and the processing of biomolecules (e.g. purification, biocatalysis).
Expertise & Capabilities
General Areas of Expertise
- Biointerfaces, Cell-Surface and Protein-Surface Interactions
- Nanopores: Transport/Diffusion of Macromolecules
- Polymer Brushes and Hydrogels
- Surface Modification
- Protein and Enzyme Assays, Peptide Characterization
Material Systems under Investigation
- Peptoids: Poly(N-Substituted Glycines)
- Nanoporous Alumina
- Polymer Surface Grafting and Polymerisation
- Polyphenolic/Polycatecholic Coatings
Technical Expertise
- Solid Phase Synthesis
- HPLC, LC-MS, MALDI-MS
- Macromolecular Self-Assembly
- Anodisation
- Radical Polymerisation
- Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR), Ellipsometry, and Related Surface Optical Measurements
- AFM, XPS, SEM
Keywords
- Bioinspired Materials
- Nanoporous Membranes/Materials
- Peptoids
- Biomaterials
- Biointerfaces
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Projects 2013 2022
Synthesis, characterization, and coatings of antibacterial peptoids over metallic implants
7/01/19 → 6/01/20
Project: Research - Studentship
Research Output 2001 2019
A hybrid laser ablation and chemical etching process for manufacturing nature-inspired anisotropic superhydrophobic structures
Cai, Y., Luo, X., Xu, Z., Lau, K. H. A., Ding, F. & Qin, Y., 3 Jun 2019, p. 90-93. 4 p.Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper
A sequential process for manufacturing nature-inspired anisotropic superhydrophobic structures on AISI 316L stainless steel
Cai, Y., Xu, Z., Wang, H., Lau, K. H. A., Ding, F., Sun, J., Qin, Y. & Luo, X., 28 Aug 2019, In : Nanomanufacturing and Metrology. 12 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
Datasets
Data for: "Biocatalytic Self-Assembly on Magnetic Nanoparticles"
Conte, M. P. (Creator), Sahoo, J. (Creator), Abul-Haija, Y. (Creator), University of Strathclyde, 5 Dec 2017
DOI: 10.15129/54073965-4d54-49db-b24c-67326762e410
Dataset
Data for: "Atomistic Study of Zwitterionic Peptoid Antifouling Brushes"
Cheung, D. (Creator), University of Strathclyde, 14 Dec 2018
DOI: 10.15129/f77d8e17-9832-4263-bc52-400d0a41f72f
Dataset
Thesis
Bioinspired materials for enzyme immobilisation and transport of biomolecules
Author: Sousa, A., 1 Dec 2016Supervisor: Lau, K. H. A. (Supervisor) & Halling, P. (Supervisor)
Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis
Directing the self-assembly of short peptide derivatives
Author: Conte, M. P., 1 Oct 2016Supervisor: Ulijn, R. (Supervisor) & Lau, K. H. A. (Supervisor)
Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis
Prizes
Activities 2009 2019
10th International Conference on Materials for Advanced Technologies
K. H. Aaron Lau (Invited speaker)Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference
257th American Chemical Society National Meeting - Orlando
K. H. Aaron Lau (Speaker)Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference