Objective
A signature trait of living systems is their ability to dynamically adjust to features of their environments, adapting to stay alive, and evolving to take better advantage of the resources in their environments. This proposed research aims to synthesise new chemical systems that are capable of adaptation and evolution, with the achievement of specified functions being used as the benchmarks by which we may be judged to have succeeded in setting the direction for our systems evolution. Two parallel lines of inquiry will be followed. First, we will build upon results that we have recently published in Science[1] to create a series of new molecular capsules that are capable of dynamically adapting to different guest molecules. These capsules will serve as sensors and as enzyme-like catalysts through the use of transition-state-analogue guests. Second, we will prepare new metal-containing conjugated polymers through self-assembly, which will be capable of dynamically exchanging building blocks in solution. These polymers will have potential applications as electrically-conductive materials, with functional properties that may be tuned and optimised by the application of evolutionary pressures.
The success of these studies will thus create novel materials with uses as self-assembled sensors, catalysts, and electrical conductors. We will also shed light upon the question of how chemical systems may be induced to evolve under selective pressure. These studies thus have long-term bearing upon the questions of how living systems evolved from pre-biological mixtures of molecules.
[1] P. Mal, B. Breiner, K. Rissanen, J.R. Nitschke, Science 2009, 324, 1697-1699.
Fields of science
Call for proposal
ERC-2010-StG_20091028
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Funding Scheme
ERC-SG - ERC Starting GrantHost institution
CB2 1TN Cambridge
United Kingdom