Lior Sepunaru
University of California-Santa Barbara, CA·Chemistry
Enzymes are the proteins that speed up chemical reactions in living cells. When we measure them, we usually see the average behavior of billions of molecules at once, which hides how each one actually works and fluctuates.
- Fields
Chemistry
Biochemistry
Biomedical Engineering
- Topics
bioelectrochemistry
nanoelectrochemistry
single-enzyme catalysis
- Grants
- 1 known grant, through Aug 2027
What they work on
- Develop a nanoscale electrochemical method to record the electronic response of individual enzymes during catalysis, revealing how single redox enzymes fluctuate in activity at the molecular level.
- Use single-enzyme electrical measurements to probe the kinetics and thermodynamics of biological redox reactions, to guide control and design of enzymes.
- Build a chemically amplified electrochemical system that detects and sizes insulating particles one at a time as they reach an electrode.
- Adapt the single-particle electrochemical detection approach into a simple, personalized sensor for rapid pathogen detection without complex device operation.
More about the research
Many enzymes run redox reactions, meaning they move electrons, so electrical measurements can in principle read out their activity directly. This research uses nanoscale electrochemistry, which means measuring tiny electrical currents at electrodes as small as single molecules or particles. It applies this tool to two goals: understanding how individual enzymes operate, and building a new kind of fast sensor for detecting infections.
Why it matters
A simple, rapid sensor for detecting pathogens at the point of care could help clinicians quickly tell whether an infection is present. That could reduce the number of unnecessary antibiotics prescribed and support faster diagnosis of infectious diseases. Watching single enzymes work could also guide the control and design of enzymes for industrial uses.
Known grants
From NIH and NSF research grants. Labs often have other funding we can't see.
Closest labs
Mario Alpuche-Aviles
University of Nevada-Reno, NV·Chemistry
Develop a redox-mediated electrochemical scheme that detects antibody-gold-nanoparticle conjugates at ultramicroelectrodes under 30 micrometers across, selecting redox mediator pairs using Marcus theory of electron transfer.
Dorsa Parviz
Arizona State University Campus Immersion, AZ·Chemistry·Early-career
Synthesize mixed-metal oxides with controlled composition gradients, defects and surface terminations to create tunable nanoscale electrostatic landscapes, and map them with surface-potential measurements.
Vignesh Sundaresan
University of Mississippi, MS·Chemistry·Early-career
Fabricate monolithic nanopore electrode arrays with precisely defined pore size and interconnectivity to test how nanoscale confinement and mass transport govern the efficiency and product selectivity of hydrogen evolution and carbon dioxide reduction.
The school
University of California-Santa Barbara: 17 labs on PI Pages, $303M a year on research, 403 research doctorates a year.
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