Hosts- bioenergetics

Researcher Name: Louro, Ricardo

Research Area(s): Bioenergetics

Affiliation: Instituto de Tecnologia Quimica e Biologica António Xavier da Universidade Nova de Lisboa

Country: Portugal

Website 

Scientific Interests:

The Inorganic Biochemistry and NMR group is devoted to the study of the molecular bases for the interaction of sediment organisms with solid substrates. These phenomena, which include the electron exchange with extracellular mineral phases, are at the core of the interest in these organisms for understanding biogeochemical cycles of the elements, bioremediation of contaminated environments, and sustainable energy production in bioelectrochemical systems.

This laboratory is currently engaged in the study of the molecular bases for coupling the exchange of electrons with exogenous solid substrates to energy conservation in several anaerobic organisms. Iron-based anoxygenic photosynthesis is one of the most ancient forms of metabolism that left geological evidence soon following the origin of Life on Earth, whereas extracellular metal respiration is fast becoming a hot-spot of biotechnological research on the development of novel bioremediation strategies for metal-contaminated sites, and for the development of microbial fuel cells for environmentally sustainable power generation.

These bioenergetic processes rely on the presence of complex networks of electron transfer proteins that provide the link between the extracellular solids and the membrane-associated metabolism where energy transduction takes place and ATP is produced. A large fraction of the proteins that have been assigned to these bioenergetic networks are cytochromes but the structure and detailed functional mechanism of the majority of them is not known.

This offer applies to trainees/researchers eligible for the following fellowships

PROBio-Africa Fellowships, IUBMB Wood-Whelan Research Fellowships, IUBMB Early-Career Research Fellowships, IUBMB Relocation Support for Displaced Trainees

Contact:

louro@itqb.unl.pt