Project description
New fluorescent proteins and bio-matrices for eco-friendly illumination systems
White inorganic light-emitting diodes (WLEDs) provide excellent efficiency and stability but rely on rare earth chemical elements. Bio-hybrid WLEDs (Bio-WHLEDs) represent a sustainable and cost-effective alternative using fluorescent proteins (FPs) embedded into a synthetic polymer matrix. Currently, Bio-WHLEDs are limited to low-power applications as the continued excitation of FPs leads to denaturation. The EU-funded NMPLED project aims to design and develop improved matrices and proteins for the new generation of all bio-based colour down-converting coatings. Researchers propose to encapsulate the FPs into natural source biopolymers-based packaging matrices and replace the GFP-based proteins with a new class of dedicated FPs to increase the overall photostability of the FPs.
Objective
The development of eco-friendly sun-like illumination systems is a priority in Europe. Current solutions, White Inorganic Light-Emitting Diodes (WLEDs), feature excellent efficiency and stability values but rely on rare earth and their production involves an increasing economic and ecological cost. Bio-Hybrid WLEDs (Bio-WHLEDs) represent an environmentally sustainable and cost-effective alternative. They use Fluorescent Proteins (FPs) embedded into a synthetic polymer matrix and act as the color down-converting coating. Bio-WHLEDs are currently limited to low power applications because the continued excitation of FPs promotes its denaturation. This is due to the synthetic nature of the polymeric packaging and of the type of FPs used (generally variants of Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP)). Despite the well-known brightness of such proteins, they have evolved as genetic reporters and not as stable photo-converting materials. In this project, we aim to design, produce and exploit improved matrixes and proteins for the new generation of all bio-based color down-converting coating. To tackle the first limitation of current Bio-WHLEDs, we propose the encapsulation of FPs into marine polysaccharide-based packaging matrices such as bio-doped alginate/ ulvan microparticles. Since the interior of these particles offers a crowded environment more similar to a natural protein surrounding, they are supposed to reduce the thermal stress and increase the photostability of the FPs. To tackle the second limitation, we propose the replacement of GFP-based proteins by Phycobiliproteins (PBPs). PBPs have evolved in nature as light-harvesting antennas in cyanobacteria, being resistant to extreme conditions (high temperature, constant illumination, high concentrations), but emit light only above 550 nm. To give a new twist in originality we propose the use of error-prone PCR and selective evolution to modify PBPs characteristics to obtain red-, green- and orange- emissions
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- natural sciences chemical sciences polymer sciences
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2019
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
28906 Getafe
Spain
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.