About
Redox reactions are at the core of the most fundamental cellular processes, but our understanding of and ability to modulate these reactions remains limited. Electrochemistry offers a direct method to both modulate and monitor redox activity. Furthermore, electrochemical methods are quantitative, inexpensive, and fast, enabling the development of implementable technologies. Despite the growing popularity of electrochemical techniques, namely in energy and catalysis, biological applications have remained limited. By integrating the tools of chemical and biological engineering with electrochemistry, the Furst group develops inexpensive, deployable technologies to improve human and environmental health, while training and educating the next generation of scientific leaders. They couple their technology with a foundation of core electrochemistry and redox biology knowledge. Their interdisciplinary expertise uniquely poises them to tackle such grand challenges as low-cost degradation of environmental contaminants and efficient CO2 upcycling.
Awards
- Future Founders Prize Finalist, MIT, 2021
- Invited Speaker, ACS Sensors Young Investigator Symposium, 2020
- A.O. Beckman Postdoctoral Fellowship, Beckman Foundation, 2016
- Gray-Hill Lecturer, Occidental College, 2014
- Member, Phi Beta Kappa, 2010
Relevant Publications
- Fan, G., Wasuwanich, P., Rodriguez-Otero, M. R. & Furst, A. L. (2021). Protection of Anaerobic Microbes from Processing Stressors Using Metal–Phenolic Networks. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 144(6), 2438–2443. DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c09018
- Fan, G., Wasuwanich, P. & Furst, A. L. (2021). Biohybrid Systems for Improved Bioinspired, Energy-Relevant Catalysis. ChemBioChem, 22(14), 2353-2367. DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202100037
- García-Cerdán, J. G., Furst, A. L., McDonald, K., Schuneman, D., Francis, M. B. & Niyogi, K. K. (2019). A Thylakoid-Bound and Redox Active Rubredoxin (RBD1) is Essential in de novo Assembly and Repair of Photosystem II Complexes in Photosynthetic Eukaryotes. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 116(33), 16631-16640. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1903314116
Support Us
CIFAR is a registered charitable organization supported by the governments of Canada, Alberta and Quebec, as well as foundations, individuals, corporations and Canadian and international partner organizations.