Christian Capitini, MD

Jean R. Finley Professor in Pediatric Hematology and Oncology

Acting Director, UW Health | Carbone Cancer Center

Professor of Pediatrics

Chief, Division of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, Transplant and Cellular Therapy

University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

Abstract: Whole-body exposure to ionizing radiation can lead to cellular DNA damage that affects the bone marrow, causing hematopoietic acute radiation syndrome (H-ARS). Bone marrow (BM) derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been used for H-ARS but with limited success, and as a cellular therapy present unique challenges for rapid deployment on the battlefield. Allogeneic bone marrow transplant is currently used to rescue H-ARS, but can cause lethal complications like graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD). Known to be involved in orchestrating tissue homeostasis and wound repair, the therapeutic effects by MSCs are largely mediated by extracellular vesicles (EVs). Secreted EVs contain functional cargo such as miRNA, mRNA, and cytokines and are transferred to recipient effector cells such as monocytes and macrophages. Depending on the cargo within the EVs, monocytes and macrophages can be polarized into a M1 pro-inflammatory phenotype involved in direct host-defense against pathogens or cancer, or an M2 phenotype associated with wound healing and tissue repair. Overall, the ability to polarize MSC-EVs makes their direct use an attractive “off-the-shelf”, cell-free approach to treat injuries associated with ARS. Our results indicate that a single infusion of EVs effectively protected mice from lethal H-ARS and GVHD in vivo. The EVs promoted hematological recovery by restoring CBCs and BM cellularity. TLR4 priming with CRX-527 signals MSCs to produce radio-protective EVs, which in turn prime monocytes and macrophages in vivo to produce both anti-inflammatory molecules and growth factors that facilitate immune reconstitution, BM tissue repair and hematopoiesis.  CRX-EVs can be produced in large quantities, cryopreserved, and then thawed for immediate use after a radiation mass casualty event. Overall, ease of use and potential for large-scale production make CRX-EVs an attractive “off-the-shelf” countermeasure against radiological and nuclear threats. 

2025 Naff Committee:

Dr. Ryan Cheng, Chair

Department of Chemistry

Plastics are a miracle of modern chemistry. They are low-cost, lightweight, and endlessly formable. Plastics have been essential in improving food preservation, healthcare, energy efficiency, and consumer convenience. However, despite these benefits, the world’s inability to manage plastic waste has led to a pollution crisis with adverse effects on the environment and public health.  Although they don’t biodegrade, plastics do breakdown into micro and nano particles. Recent research indicates that these particles can penetrate the blood brain barrier and become lodged in brain tissue. The problem is not just the polymers themselves, but the chemical additives included in the formulation of plastics to modify properties. Chemical additives can make plastics more rigid, more flexible, resistant to fire, oxidation or UV light, or even add antimicrobial properties. Currently, there are more than 70,000 formulations of plastic on the market made from over 16,000 chemical species, including over 4,200 which are chemicals of concern. The long term health effects caused by plastic particles lodging in soft tissue and leaching chemicals by diffusion are largely unknown.

In an attempt to combat this crisis, in 2022, United Nations Resolution 5/14 to End Plastic Pollution with a Legally Binding Instrument by 2024 launched a series of negotiating sessions to develop a treaty to end the global plastic pollution crisis. Although the world has yet to reach agreement on a globally binding treaty, negotiations continue. Unfortunately, solutions that may be appropriate for highly developed countries are often impractical in low-GDP countries. Multiple factors, including the lack of strong governmental authority, insufficient infrastructure, and low value placed on human health versus economic development, tend to exacerbate the plastic pollution problem. Although low-GDP countries are typically only minor plastic producers, they often bear the brunt of mismanaged waste and the pollution it brings. The role of the informal sector is also important in low-GDP countries, where waste pickers often play a significant role in collecting and sorting waste, including recycling. As a result, potential solutions appropriate for low-GDP countries must be safe, simple, low-cost, and community driven. 

This seminar will focus on the current scope of the plastic pollution crisis and the specific environmental and public health challenges it causes. Additionally, the key challenges of waste plastic management globally and in low-GDP countries and some of the initiatives in place to address these challenges will be presented. Finally, the results of a case study from a small-scale, appropriate technology-based plastic-to-fuel project in Harare, Zimbabwe will be presented

Abstract: This project aims to develop the understanding of complex chemical interactions between solvent molecules and surfaces and will impact fundamental surface science as well as applied materials chemistry. Employing the novel sampling geometry, dynamic dewetting, thin fluid layers are created on solid surfaces. The molecular architectures formed within the thin fluid films are examined over varying thicknesses to reveal interfacial chemical environments. By tuning intermolecular interactions, the role of van der Waals forces, hydrogen bonding, micro-viscocity, and other chemical phenomena can be more adequately understood and applied to solve challenges in chemistry and materials science.

Bio: Research in the Shaw group combines modern analytical techniques with materials and physical chemistry to create new understanding of the molecular-level behavior at interfaces. Current and start-up projects span chemical systems that are both fundamentally intriguing and extremely relevant to current needs of our technology-driven society. Advances in these areas will allow predictive design of new, improved devices in a range of applications including energy production, polymeric materials, corrosion science, environmental remediation, microfluidics, and biomedical implanted devices. A few selected projects are outlined below. Experimental techniques encompass surface-sensitive optical spectroscopies, non-linear spectroscopies, probe microscopies, electrochemical methods, tensiometry, and novel sample preparation techniques, all targeted at revealing the interfacial properties of otherwise opaque chemical systems.   

Abstract: Known since antiquity, tuberculosis remains a major public health challenge throughout the world despite the availability of therapeutic interventions. The long treatment times of existing drugs along with the emergence of resistant variations have led researchers to seek new drugs. This seminar will describe ongoing projects to contribute to this goal, including the study of new b-lactam antitubercular agents and inhibitors of the TB phosphopantetheinyl transferase, a newly validated target. 

References

[1] Ballinger et al., Science, 2019, 363, eeau8959.

[2] Ottavi et al., J. Med. Chem., 2022, 65, 1996–2022.

[3] Ottavi et al., ACS Med. Chem. Lett., 2023, 14, 970–976.

Have you ever wondered what’s in the silo in front of the Chemistry-Physics building? It’s not corn or a missile, but rather the Van de Graaff particle accelerator of the University of Kentucky Accelerator Laboratory (UKAL). UKAL opened in 1964 and is celebrating 60 years of nuclear science experiments this year. The majority of the work at UKAL focuses on neutron scattering studies for fundamental and applied science. We strive to elucidate the nature of the atomic nucleus including its excitations and shape, as well as to characterize materials relevant for projects such as next generation nuclear reactor design. A description of UKAL and this work will be given.

Abstract: Li-free solid-state batteries, which contain no excess Li metal initially, are considered promising next-generation energy storage systems due to their high energy density and enhanced safety. However, heterogeneous Li plating onto the current collector leads to early failure and low energy efficiency. Porous interlayers positioned between the current collector and solid electrolyte have the potential to guide uniform Li plating and improve electrochemical performance. In this configuration, both the electrochemical reduction of Li ions and mechanical deformation, which allow Li metal to flow into the porous interlayer, occur simultaneously. These complexities make understanding Li plating kinetics challenging. Factors such as stack pressure, interlayer composition, current density, and the mechanical response of the interlayer can influence Li deposition kinetics. In this talk we discuss how heterogenous plating can cause fracture in the cathode and impacts the reversible operation of li-free solid state batters. We examine a model porous Ag-C interlayer with two different Ag particle sizes and observed Li plating behavior under various stack pressures and current densities. While Ag nanoparticles in the interlayer can facilitate Li movement, they can also induce internal stress, leading to void formation that impedes Li flow. Nanostructure analysis using cryo-FIB are combined with chemomechanical modeling to uncover the mechanical interaction of interlayer during the alloying reaction between Ag and Li. When comparing the morphology of Li electrodeposits at different conditions, morphological changes correlate with the creep strain rate over Li ion flux. The electrochemical performance is determined by the morphology of Li electrodeposits rather than the Li plating current density. 

Bio: Dr. Hatzell is an Associate Professor at Princeton University in the Andlinger Center for Energy and Environment and department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Dr. Hatzell earned her Ph.D. in Material Science and Engineering at Drexel University, her M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Pennsylvania State University, and her B.S./B.A. in Engineering/Economics from Swarthmore College. Hatzell is the recipient of several awards including the ORAU Powe Junior Faculty Award (2017), NSF CAREER Award (2019), ECS Toyota Young Investigator Award (2019), finalist for the BASF/Volkswagen Science in Electrochemistry Award (2019), the Nelson “Buck” Robinson award from MRS (2019), Sloan Fellowship in Chemistry (2020), and POLiS Award of Excellence for Female Researchers (2021), NASA Early Career Award (2022), ONR Young investigator award (2023) and Camille-Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award (2024). 

The Hatzell Research Group works on understanding phenomena at solid|liquid, solid|gas, and solid|solid interfaces through non-equilibrium x-ray techniques, with particular interest in energy conversion and storage and separations applications. 

Abstract: After an introduction to organic light-emitting diodes, we will discuss our recent computational work dealing with three strategies to design efficient, purely organic emitters: 

The first strategy was introduced in 2012 by Chihaya Adachi and co-workers at Kyushu University, who proposed to harvest the triplet excitons in purely organic molecular materials via thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF). These materials now represent the third generation of OLED emitters. Impressive photo-physical properties and device performances have been reported, with internal quantum efficiencies reaching 100% (which means that, for each injected electron, one photon is emitted). In the most efficient materials, the TADF process has been shown to involve several singlet and triplet excited states. 

A second strategy, which has been applied more recently, was proposed by Feng Li and co-workers at Jilin University in 2015 and is based on the exploitation of stable organic radicals. In these materials, where the lowest excited state and the ground state usually belong both to the doublet manifold, we will describe how high efficiencies and photo-stability can be obtained. 

Finally, we will briefly discuss our very recent work on so-called multi-resonance (MR) TADF materials, initially developed by Takuji Hatakeyama and co-workers at Kwansei Gakuin University.

Bio: Jean-Luc Brédas received his B.Sc. (1976) and Ph.D. (1979) degrees from the University of Namur, Belgium. In 1988, he was appointed Professor at the University of Mons, Belgium, where he established the Laboratory for Chemistry of Novel Materials. While keeping an “Extraordinary Professorship” appointment in Mons, he joined the University of Arizona in 1999. In 2003, he moved to the Georgia Institute of Technology where he became Regents’ Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry and held the Vasser-Woolley and Georgia Research Alliance Chair in Molecular Design. Between 2014 and 2016, he joined King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) as a Distinguished Professor and served as Director of the KAUST Solar & Photovoltaics Engineering Research Center. He returned to Georgia Tech in 2017 before moving back to the University of Arizona in 2020. Prof. Brédas is an elected Member of the International Academy of Quantum Molecular Science, the Royal Academy of Belgium, and the European Academy of Sciences. He is the recipient of the 1997 Francqui Prize, the 2000 Quinquennial Prize of the Belgian National Science Foundation, the 2001 Italgas Prize, the 2003 Descartes Prize of the European Union, the 2010 ACS Charles Stone Award, the 2013 APS David Adler Award in Materials Physics, the 2016 ACS Award in the Chemistry of Materials, the 2019 Alexander von Humboldt Research Award, the 2020 MRS Materials Theory Award, and the 2021 RSC Centenary Prize. He has served as editor for Chemistry of Materials between 2008 and 2021 and scientific editor for Materials Horizons since 2022. His current Google Scholar h-index is 171.

To view this years brochure, click here.

The development of molecules absorbing in the red and near-infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum for light harvesting, photocatalysis, and bioimaging leads to interesting photophysics dictated by the energy gap law. Ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy (TAS) and time-resolved single photon counting are useful tools in the characterization of such molecules and understanding their excited state dynamics. Results from our group in characterizing red and near-infrared absorbing molecules for these applications will be presented.

Abstract: The current atmospheric CO₂ level reaches 426 ppm according to the latest measurement by NASA in July 2024; therefore, the development of carbon capture, utilization, and storage technologies (CCUS) has become urgent to cut CO₂ emissions to avoid the most severe consequences of climate change. CO₂ conversion to commodity chemicals, materials, feedstocks, and fuels driven by renewable electricity offers one of the most effective pathways to mitigate the greenhouse effect and reduce global demand for traditional fossil fuels, while simultaneously achieving sustainable energy and carbon neutrality. 

This seminar will briefly overview diverse research areas of National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) to advance energy and environmental sustainability along with carbon management. Our electrochemistry efforts on carbon conversion directly support the US goal of achieving carbon-free power sector by 2035 and net zero emissions by 2050. Since CO₂ electroreduction is highly structure sensitive, NETL ongoing research has been focused on the rational design and engineering of electrocatalysts, i.e. tuning the particle size, shape, dimension, or manipulating chemical composition, surface structure, defects, etc., to facilitate the CO₂ conversion to desirable products with good selectivity, activity, and durability. Different classes and types of electrocatalytic materials will be covered in this talk, from well-defined atomic-scale model catalysts to heterogenous, scalable powder systems at nano- and micro-scale for “real world” performance evaluation. Several ex situ and in situ spectroscopic, microscopic, and electrochemical characterization techniques along with computational findings will be additionally discussed to gain more insights into the structure-activity relation. 

Besides catalyst development, the intensive efforts have been devoted to optimizing the device architecture and membrane electrode assembly components of CO₂ electrolysis cell to better respond to practical industrial applications (current density higher than 200 mA/cm² and lifetime beyond 1,000 hours). The last part of this seminar will provide more detail on how NETL has transitioned from the most common aqueous H-type reactor for lab-scale validation to more realistic full electrolyzer cell in bench-scale prototype. The knowledge, electrocatalytic materials, and device validation achieved from NETL in-house research will be translated to industrial sector for large scale deployment and the anticipated outcome will help advance the development of low temperature CO₂ electrolysis technologies.

Bio: Dr. Thuy Duong Nguyen Phan is currently a Research Scientist at the U.S Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL). Her research interests focus on functional materials for energy conversion (carbon capture and conversion, renewable chemicals/fuel production, hydrogen production/utilization), energy storage (battery, supercapacitor, oxygen storage), and environmental sustainability (wastewater/air/metal purification, indoor odor removal, self-cleaning window). She earned her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from University of Ulsan (South Korea) in 2010 and then worked there as Postdoctoral Research Fellow and Research Professor. Prior to working at NETL in 2017, she worked as Research Associate at Brookhaven National Laboratory. She has strong track record of 50+ high impact journal publications and 7 patent awards/pending applications (Google scholar).