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UC San Diego Receives $7.5 Million to Develop Innovative Uses for Melanin | |
admin | |
2017-04-27 | |
发布年 | 2017 |
语种 | 英语 |
国家 | 美国 |
领域 | 资源环境 |
正文(英文) | ![]() Three-year effort launched to understand melanins, responsible for the iridescent plumage of this glossy starling. Photo: istock A team of scientists from the University of California San Diego and two other universities has received a five year, $7.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense to unravel the fundamental properties of melanins, a family of natural pigments found in skin, hair, eyes and even the plumage of brightly colored birds. The basic research effort, which will be conducted in part by Scripps Institution of Oceanography marine biologist Dimitri Deheyn, will focus on elucidating the biochemical pathways that lead to the production of melanins in a range of organisms—compounds that efficiently absorb ultraviolet light and protect skin cells in humans—and gain a better understanding of the chemistry and morphology of melanin polymers at the molecular scale, nanoscale, micrometer and at the macroscale. The project is being funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, under the Defense Department’s Multidisciplinary Research Initiative, or MURI program, with the goal of using these natural pigments to develop new kinds of advanced materials. “Melanin is a ubiquitous natural material that has so far been underutilized in materials science and technological applications,” said Nathan Gianneschi, a professor of chemistry and biochemistry, materials science and engineering and nanoengineering at UC San Diego, who heads the research team. “But this polymer has a unique blend of properties, including strong ultraviolet and gamma radiation absorbance, a high refractive index, material toughness, high conductivity, magnetism and a high metal-binding capacity.” By unraveling the basic biology, chemistry and structural properties of melanins at multiple length scales, the team plans over the next three years to provide the foundation for the development of melanin-based synthetic materials for a wide range of applications. “We hope this basic research effort will eventually lead to the establishment of new methods of assembly to create functional arrays and structures that can be integrated into materials, providing them with unprecedented new optical, infrared, magnetic and biochemical properties,” said Gianneschi. Other melanin-based materials, the researchers added, could include new kinds of adaptive camouflage or detection systems, protective coatings that make structures resistant to ultraviolet and gamma radiation, and bioremediation devices that employ the ability of melanins to bind heavy metals. Other members of the research team from UC San Diego are Michael Burkart, professor of chemistry and biochemistry and Jeffrey Rinehart, an assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry. Ali Dhinojwala from the University of Akron and Arthi Jayaraman from the University of Delaware round out the multidisciplinary team. The research team will collaborate with Wendy Goodson from the Air Force Research Laboratory and Matthew Shawkey, an associate professor of biology at the University of Ghent in Belgium, who were awarded an additional $1.25 million from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research for a cooperative research project. Additional Contacts:
– Kim McDonald, Division of Physical Sciences, (858) 534-7572, kmcdonald@ucsd.edu Note to broadcast and cable producers: University of California San Diego provides an on-campus satellite uplink facility for live or pre-recorded television interviews. Please phone or email the media contact listed above to arrange an interview.
About Scripps OceanographyScripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego, is one of the oldest, largest, and most important centers for global science research and education in the world. Now in its second century of discovery, the scientific scope of the institution has grown to include biological, physical, chemical, geological, geophysical, and atmospheric studies of the earth as a system. Hundreds of research programs covering a wide range of scientific areas are under way today on every continent and in every ocean. The institution has a staff of more than 1,400 and annual expenditures of approximately $195 million from federal, state, and private sources. Scripps operates oceanographic research vessels recognized worldwide for their outstanding capabilities. Equipped with innovative instruments for ocean exploration, these ships constitute mobile laboratories and observatories that serve students and researchers from institutions throughout the world. Birch Aquarium at Scripps serves as the interpretive center of the institution and showcases Scripps research and a diverse array of marine life through exhibits and programming for more than 430,000 visitors each year. Learn more at scripps.ucsd.edu and follow us at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.About UC San DiegoAt the University of California San Diego, we constantly push boundaries and challenge expectations. Established in 1960, UC San Diego has been shaped by exceptional scholars who aren’t afraid to take risks and redefine conventional wisdom. Today, as one of the top 15 research universities in the world, we are driving innovation and change to advance society, propel economic growth, and make our world a better place. Learn more at www.ucsd.edu.
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来源平台 | Scripps Institution of Oceanography |
文献类型 | 新闻 |
条目标识符 | http://119.78.100.173/C666/handle/2XK7JSWQ/107604 |
专题 | 资源环境科学 |
推荐引用方式 GB/T 7714 | admin. UC San Diego Receives $7.5 Million to Develop Innovative Uses for Melanin. 2017. |
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