Wolbachia is a widespread, intracellular symbiont of arthropods and filarial nematodes, inducing reproductive distortions and antiviral protection in insects. Wolbachia is currently being deployed in disease vector control programs and is also a target in the treatment of lymphatic filariasis. Despite its prevalence, fascinating phenotypes, and applied importance, Wolbachia biology remains poorly explored, as it cannot be cultured or genetically manipulated. To date, antisense RNA and a transfection reagent that knock down Wolbachia gene expression have been deployed in cell culture, but the effect was modest and likely very transient. In order to achieve a robust and lasting antisense inhibition in Wolbachia, applicable in an in vivo system, I will utilize developments from drug delivery and gene manipulation in other members of the Rickettsiales. This will involve the use of nuclease resistant nucleic acid analogs, which can strongly inhibit transcripts for many days. This technology will be combined with attachment to different transporter molecules, known to deliver nucleic acids to other intracellular bacteria and parasites within host cells and organisms. I will then use this system to interrogate the genes putatively involved in host-microbe interactions in cell culture. I will focus on genes underlying symbiosis and those directly conferring the trait of antiviral resistance. The technology created will be widely applicable in studies of host-symbiont interactions, and in determining the mechanisms underlying the diverse phenotypes and symbioses observed. This project will thus both enable discovery science and allow better human disease prevention and treatment.

The proposal is focused on the innovation potential of thermo-regulating paints for effective thermal insulation and controlled release/uptake of the thermal energy in buildings. These thermo-regulating paints are based on the energy nanocapsules with encapsulated phase change materials, which are under development in ERC 2014 Consolidator grant No. 647969 "ENERCAPSULE", and current commercial paint formulations. The addition of the energy nanocapsules able to store and release heat will provide commercial paints thermo-regulating properties. The advantage of energy nanocapsules in the paint formulations is the isolation of the phase-change heat capacitors from the other components of the paint. This will keep the integrity of the encapsulated phase-change materials during heating/cooling cycles, prevent the interaction between paint matrix and phase-change material and, as a result, significantly increase the durability of the thermo-responsive paints to thousands of heating/cooling cycles. Project Work Plan includes two parallel Work Packages. First Work Package is a technical one and involves the development of the methodology for up-scaled fabrication of energy nanocapsules by controlled deformation dynamic mixing and application of the energy capsules as heat-controlling additive in paint formulations. Second Work Package is devoted to the market and legislation analysis of the innovation potential of the thermo-regulating paints. Application of such paints in existing old houses will considerably improve their energy efficiency characteristics without big investments into their retrofitting. Additional energy savings are foreseen during day/night switch where the thermal energy collected in paint during daylight is used for house heating during night. Innovation of new materials and technologies for storage and controlled release of thermal energy is critical for future green economy according to the EU Directive 2012/27/EU on energy efficiency.

The project addresses the long-term vision of man-made materials with chemical selectivity and functional efficiency produced by dynamic structural flexibility. These materials are not intended as protein mimics; they are however inspired by nature’s use of flexible rather than rigid systems, with their ability to dynamically restructure around guests and thus perform highly specific chemistry. Such materials would transform chemical processes through their precision, for example by reorganising to accelerate each step of a cascade reaction without reagent or product inhibition. The road to this vision is blocked as we do not have the methodology and understanding to control such materials. The aim is to develop synergic, multidisciplinary experimental and computational capability to harness the dynamics of flexible crystalline porous solids for function, demonstrated in separation and catalysis. This will enable design and synthesis of materials that controllably adopt distinct structures according to their chemical environment to optimise performance. We will create a new workflow that integrates understanding of the structure-composition-dynamics-property relationship into the materials design and discovery process. This workflow builds on proof-of-concept in (i) chemical control of dynamical restructuring in flexible crystalline porous materials and in the use of dynamics to (ii) enhance function and (iii) guide synthesis. Crystalline flexible porous materials are selected because crystallinity maximises the atomic-scale understanding generated, which is transferable to other materials classes, whilst porosity permits sorption and organisation of guests that controls function. This inorganic materials chemistry project develops integrated capability in chemical synthesis (new metal-organic frameworks and linkers), computation (prediction and evaluation of structure and dynamical guest response), characterisation (e.g. by diffraction) and measurement of function.

Doctoral Training Partnerships: a range of postgraduate training is funded by the Research Councils. For information on current funding routes, see the common terminology at www.rcuk.ac.uk/StudentshipTerminology. Training grants may be to one organisation or to a consortia of research organisations. This portal will show the lead organisation only.