Enzyme-like catalysis is one of the central challenges of modern chemical science. Despite significant advances in the field, chemist-made catalysts are not yet truly competitive with enzymes. My program aims to bridge the often separate fields of organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, and nanoscience to create nanoscale catalysts with enzyme-like level of competence. The ongoing projects in my group are inspired by Nature’s approach of spatial confinement, cooperative activation, and evolutionary/combinatorial optimization.
The specific focus areas of my program are:
Tailored Polymer Materials for Catalysis, Encapsulation and Transport
Emergent / Dynamic Autocatalytic Systems and Systems Chemistry
Catalysis in Controlled Nanoenvironments
Materials for Electrocatalysis and Energy
