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| Name |
Belcher, Angela M. |
| Location
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| Primary Field
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Engineering Sciences |
| Secondary Field
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Chemistry |
 Election Citation
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Belcher’s interdisciplinary research uses biological systems to make advanced materials and devices for the environment, energy, and medicine. |
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Research Interests
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Angela Belcher's laboratory's interest focuses at interfaces, which includes the interfaces of scientific disciplines as well as the interfaces of materials. In her group at MIT, they are using nature as a guide to make novel electronic and magnetic materials and to pattern materials on nano length scales. To accomplish this, Belcher's group is integrating approaches from several scientific disciplines including materials chemistry, inorganic synthesis, surface chemistry, molecular biology, biochemistry and electrical engineering. They are adapting the conditions and control mechanisms found in nature to non-biological inorganic materials such as magnetic and semiconductor materials. Belcher and her students have pioneered a very novel self-organizational approach that utilizes evolutionarily selected and engineered peptides to specifically recognize and bind electronic and magnetic building blocks. The goal is to have a DNA sequence that codes for the synthesis and assembly of any inorganic material or device. They have been successful in using these evolutionarily selected peptides to control physical properties of nanocrystals and subsequently use molecular recognition and self-assembly to design biological hybrid multidimensional materials. They are using this technology to design new methods for building batteries, fuel cells, solar cells, catalysts, CO2 capture, environmental remediation, and cancer diagnostics and treatment. |
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