Dan Dan

Motiviert, neugierig, kurz vor dem Abschluss eines Master of Science in Chemie mit dem Anspruch, eine Promotion in Chemie zu beginnen.

• In my first research in De Laporte Group we wanted to functionalize the prepared PEG microgels (with epoxy functionality) with different bioactive molecules like proteins to generate different functionalities important for biomedical application.

Therefore: We had to quantify the epoxide groups that are incorporated into the PEG structure during microfluidics. I tried to do this via UV/Vis spectroscopy.

• In my research under Prof. Boersma (at that time Dr.), set out to understand the factors influencing Huntington's disease (HD) by analyzing the DNAJA1 co-chaperone, which we believe is essential for the regulation of polyglutamine aggregation. During the internship, we were interested in investigating how DNAJA1 co-chaperone affects the behavior of huntingtin exon 1 protein in vitro and PolyQ aggregation in vivo. Protein expression of DNAJA1 in E. coli bacteria was performed, followed by stepwise protein purification using affinity chromatography (Ni-NTA) and SEC (Size Exclusion Chromatography). SDS-PAGE electrophoresis and bioinformatics tools allow us to examine protein data both in vitro and in silico. Confocal microscopy was used together with the previously developed FRET sensor to better understand the influence of

DNAJA1 on polyQ aggregation.

• In Leonori group, organoboranes were taken as a good source of radicals. Since borylated aromatics are coupling partners in Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling, Chan-Lam coupling, fluorination and can also serve as substrate for various processes such as oxidation, these methods and accumulated knowledge lead me to functionalize the C-C bond different nucleophiles, and new reaction conditions to try and design new stable compounds.
• In my last research at the Fraunhofer Institute, the focus was on developing a method for determining rigid and mobile amorphous phases of semi-crystalline plastic compounds. By analyzing the crystallization behavior of PLLA and its mixtures with innovative DSC techniques, the characterization of amorphous phases is of great importance. In addition, the polyester was blended with various plasticizers and nucleating agents to study and monitor changes in the degree of crystallinity. Later I have the opportunity to write my master's thesis on the topic ``Development of structure-property relationschips for different plastic formulations based onpolylactic acid`` at the Fraunhofer Institute. Since it is about the same project, a large part was included and further developed in my master's thesis. Similar to other bio-based plastic formulations, thermally modulated DSC was used to study changes in the degree of crystallinity, as well as kinetics using the Avrami equation. Tensile and impact testing were examined through the mechanical properties. Further experiments such as polarization microscopy and PXRD were used to approximate how the RAF (rigid amorphous fraction) and MAF (mobile amorphous fraction) of the polymer blend were affected. Based on all research results obtained, my supervisor and I are in the process of writing a research paper.

Mein Masterstudium in Chemie an der RWTH Aachen hat mich auf den Gebieten bioaktive Verbindungen, synthetische Methoden und Materialien sowie mesoskopische Systeme wie Feststoffe, Polymere und Nanostrukturen spezialisiert.