Topic: Structure and function of biomineral proteins in molluskan shells

Lecturer: Prof. Michio Suzuki

Time: September 18, 2024 (Wednesday), 15:00, UTC+8

Venue: 10th floor, Yifu Building

Host: Researcher Zou Chaoyong

Biography: Professor Michio Suzuki is currently a Professor at the Analytical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Tokyo. His main research areas include biomineralization, bioinorganic chemistry, organic-inorganic interactions, analytical chemistry, and natural product chemistry. He has held this position since May 2022 and previously served as an Associate Professor and Assistant Professor at the University of Tokyo. Professor Suzuki holds a Ph.D. in Agriculture (2008) from the University of Tokyo, where he also earned his M.S. and B.S. degrees. His research has been supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), and he has conducted international research at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. His work focuses on cutting-edge topics in life sciences, and his research has been published in prestigious journals such as Science, PNAS, and J. Mater. Chem. B.

Abstract: The molluskan shells consisting with calcium carbonate have fine microstructures with polymorph, morphology, size and density of defects regulated by biomineral proteins. Almost all bomineral proteins have intrinsic disordered domains to control the calcification. We are interested in the structure and function of the biomineral proteins to reveal the organic-inorganic interaction in biomineralization. These studies will promote the material science to develop the functional materials and give a new environmental technology about the decarbonation effect by calcium carbonate.

Edited by: Li Tiantian, Wang Jingjing