![Rebecca Gwyther](https://profiles-cardiff.imgix.net/attachments/3323?w=200&h=200&auto=format&crop=faces&fit=crop&q=90")
Dr Rebecca Gwyther
Research student
School of Biosciences
- GwytherRE@cardiff.ac.uk
- Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3AX
Overview
Proteins are nature’s own nanomachines. Crafted through years of evolution, they are optimised to perform a range of cellular functions. To translate this into a useful nanotechnological application, proteins can be integrated into fundamental electronic devices known as carbon nanotube field-effect transistors (NT-FETs).
We do this by engineering in non-natural amino acid p-azido-L-phenylalanine (AzF), which can be activated by UV light to covalently bind the carbon nanotube channel of an NT-FET. This creates an intimate environment for signal transduction, whereby an external biochemical signal (e.g., a chemical reaction, or incoming charge density from a protein-protein interaction) is transduced into an electrical signal. Potential applications for this will be dependent on the protein interfaced, but my PhD considers two key themes: biosensing and optoelectronic gating.
Publication
2023
- Gwyther, R. 2023. Fusing synthetic biology with nanotechnology: Integrating proteins into carbon nanotube field-effect transistors. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.
2022
- Lee, C., Gwyther, R. E., Freeley, M., Jones, D. and Palma, M. 2022. Fabrication and functionalisation of nanocarbon-based field-effect transistor biosensors. ChemBioChem 23(23), article number: e202200282. (10.1002/cbic.202200282)
- Cervantes-Salguero, K., Freeley, M., Gwyther, R. E. A., Jones, D. D., Chavez, J. L. and Palma, M. 2022. Single molecule DNA origami nanoarrays with controlled protein orientation. Biophysics Reviews 3(3) (10.1063/5.0099294)
- Gwyther, R. E. A., Nekrasov, N. P., Emilianov, A. V., Nasibulin, A. G., Ramakrishnan, K., Bobrinetskiy, I. and Jones, D. D. 2022. Differential bio-optoelectronic gating of semiconducting carbon nanotubes by varying the covalent attachment residue of a green fluorescent protein. Advanced Functional Materials 32(22), article number: 2112374. (10.1002/adfm.202112374)
2021
- Freeley, M., Gwyther, R. E. A., Jones, D. D. and Palma, M. 2021. DNA-directed assembly of carbon nanotube-protein hybrids. Biomolecules 11(7), article number: 955. (10.3390/biom11070955)
2019
- Gwyther, R. E., Jones, D. D. and Worthy, H. L. 2019. Better together: building protein oligomers naturally and by design. Biochemical Society Transactions 47(6), pp. 1773-1780. (10.1042/BST20190283)
Articles
- Lee, C., Gwyther, R. E., Freeley, M., Jones, D. and Palma, M. 2022. Fabrication and functionalisation of nanocarbon-based field-effect transistor biosensors. ChemBioChem 23(23), article number: e202200282. (10.1002/cbic.202200282)
- Cervantes-Salguero, K., Freeley, M., Gwyther, R. E. A., Jones, D. D., Chavez, J. L. and Palma, M. 2022. Single molecule DNA origami nanoarrays with controlled protein orientation. Biophysics Reviews 3(3) (10.1063/5.0099294)
- Gwyther, R. E. A., Nekrasov, N. P., Emilianov, A. V., Nasibulin, A. G., Ramakrishnan, K., Bobrinetskiy, I. and Jones, D. D. 2022. Differential bio-optoelectronic gating of semiconducting carbon nanotubes by varying the covalent attachment residue of a green fluorescent protein. Advanced Functional Materials 32(22), article number: 2112374. (10.1002/adfm.202112374)
- Freeley, M., Gwyther, R. E. A., Jones, D. D. and Palma, M. 2021. DNA-directed assembly of carbon nanotube-protein hybrids. Biomolecules 11(7), article number: 955. (10.3390/biom11070955)
- Gwyther, R. E., Jones, D. D. and Worthy, H. L. 2019. Better together: building protein oligomers naturally and by design. Biochemical Society Transactions 47(6), pp. 1773-1780. (10.1042/BST20190283)
Thesis
- Gwyther, R. 2023. Fusing synthetic biology with nanotechnology: Integrating proteins into carbon nanotube field-effect transistors. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.
Research
Thesis
Fusing Synthetic Biology with Nanotechnology: Integration of Proteins into Carbon Nanotube Field-Effect Transistors
Proteins are nature’s own nanomachines. Crafted through years of evolution, they are optimised to perform a range of cellular functions. To translate this into a useful nanotechnological application, proteins can be integrated into fundamental
electronic devices known as carbon nanotube field-effect transistors (NT-FETs). We do this by engineering in non-natural amino acid p-azido-L-phenylalanine (AzF), which can be activated by UV light to covalently bind the carbon nanotube channel of an NT-FET. This creates an intimate environment for signal transduction, whereby an external biochemical signal (e.g., a chemical reaction, or incoming charge density from a protein-protein interaction) is transduced into an electrical signal. Potential applications for this will be dependent on the protein interfaced, but this thesis will consider two key themes: biosensing and optoelectronic gating.
Funding sources
BBSRC SWBio Doctoral Training Partnership
Supervisors
Research themes
Specialisms
- Biochemistry
- Biomolecular modelling and design
- Biophysics
- Nanobiotechnology