The Biomolecular Electronics Research Laboratory is headed by Dr. Dónal Leech
and was established in NUI, Galway in 1997. Research in the laboratory focuses on
the preparation and characterisation of modified electrode surfaces directed to
eventual application as biomolecular electrochemical devices. One of the
technological applications targeted is the production of energy using biological fuel
cells, based on electron transfer between biological elements and surfaces. In general,
electron transfer to and from biomolecules and microbes is difficult to achieve
because electron transfer sites are buried in an insulating protein or cellular shell. Part
of this research, aimed at directly addressing buried redox sited in microbes, enzymes
and proteins to harness electron transfer reactions that can generate electricity, is
currently funded by an EU FP6 Marie-Curie Transfer of Knowledge grant as aprt of
the development of the MB Group. The group is also interested in mediating electron
transfer to these sites by modification of electrode surfaces with redox polymer
matrices. The redox polymer can function as an artificial substrate (electron transfer
mediator) enabling addressing of biological electron transfer turnover. Such modified
electrodes can be tailored to provide a microbial or biofuel cell system.
One aim of this research area is the ambitious goal of developing an implantable,
miniature, long-lived, low-power, membrane-less biofuel cell. An approach to the
design of an implantable biofuel cell prototype is to exploit the oxidation of fuels,
such as glucose, coupled to the reduction of dissolved dioxygen. This may be
accomplished by mediated electron transfer from glucose oxidase (GOx) at the anode
to laccase (Lac) at the cathode. The output of the cell is the product of the cell voltage
and the cell current. For further information on this area of research, visit the web-site
of the EU FP6 Strategic Research Project, www.nuigalway.ie/research/biomednano,
co-ordinated by D. Leech.