Organize Enzymes to Create Electricity - Nic McKenney

An assistant professor working at the University of California, has recently received a $360,000 grant in his research to better organize enzymes located on electrodes in an attempt to create nanoscale devices that are even more efficient in converting the chemical energy of sugars into carbohydrates, and then into electricity. Ian Wheeldon is one of 40 scientists and engineers to get an award from a program called the young investigator program, which is run by the air force office of scientific research, the funding will be given over a three year period. Enzymes are often tools in bionanotechnology, synthetic biology, and bioenergy systems. The initial experiments have shown increased power density in biofuel cells, yet the process is limited to engineering pathways to trial-and-error approaches as there is a lack of understanding of the principles that govern reaction pathway kinetics. Ian's first objective is to define relationships between multi-enzyme scaffold design, and the pathway reaction rate  His second objective is to apply his findings to create new and better biofuel cells.

NOS themes:
Science is based on evidence
Importance of repeatability
role of motivation and curiosity

http://www.biologynews.net/archives/2013/03/07/organizing_enzymes_to_create_electricity.html

Nic McKenney - Hour 1