Seminar Speaker: Alon Gorodetsky, University of California, Irvine

Dynamic Materials Inspired by Cephalopods

Abstract

Cephalopods (e.g., squids, octopuses, and cuttlefish) have captured the imagination of both the general public and scientists alike due to their sophisticated neurophysiologies, visually stunning camouflage displays, and complex behavioral patterns. Given such characteristics, it is not surprising that these marine invertebrates have emerged as exciting technological paradigms in bioinspired photonics and biomolecular electronics. Within this context, our laboratory has focused on the development of cephalopod-inspired systems and cephalopod-derived materials with unique capabilities and functionalities. In one representative research thrust, we have leveraged the cephalopod protein reflectin for engineering the optical properties of mammalian cells, while recently extending these efforts to new types of biomedically-relevant bioelectronic devices. In another representative research thrust, we have designed and validated new concepts for adaptive infrared camouflage, while recently building upon this work for the fabrication of self-repairing multifunctional signaling platforms. The understanding of structure-optical function relationships in cephalopods gained from such studies has suggested exciting future technological opportunities in materials science and biomedical engineering.

Biography

Dr. Alon Gorodetsky is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of California, Irvine. Dr. Gorodetsky obtained dual B.S. degrees in Engineering Physics and Materials Science at Cornell University and a Ph.D. in Chemistry at the California Institute of Technology. He then completed postdoctoral work as an NSF American Competitiveness in Chemistry Fellow at Columbia University. Dr. Gorodetsky’s work has received international recognition and has been highlighted in media outlets such as Popular Science, Popular Mechanics, The Smithsonian Magazine, Wired, Discover, The Times, The Guardian, The Washington Post, Newsweek, The Economist, Forbes, NPR, BBC, and CNN. Dr. Gorodetsky has also received numerous accolades, including the AFOSR Young Investigator Award, the DARPA Young Faculty Award with the Director’s Option, the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, the NIH Director’s New Innovator Award, and the DARPA Embedded Entrepreneurship Initiative Award.