Dr Eugen Stulz is Associate Professor in Bio-organic and Materials Chemistry with a focus on DNA chemistry and nanomaterials for biological/medicinal and energy applications.
Always expect the unexpected
Eugen Stulz graduated from the University of Bern (Switzerland) with a PhD in Bioorganic Chemistry. After a postdoctoral stay at Cambridge University (UK), he moved to the University of Basel (Switzerland) as Lecturer to establish his independent research. He then moved to Southampton as Lecturer and got promoted subsequently to Senior Lecturer and Associate Professor.
His key interests are in the field of DNA technology in its widest sense, spanning from supramolecular chemistry over DNA nanotechnology to medicinal applications in cancer therapy. In addition, he is involved in key research developing silver nanoparticles for energy applications.
Qualifications
Diploma in Chemistry, University of Bern, 1994
PhD in Chemistry, University of Bern, 1998
Appointments held
PDRA, Cambridge University, 1999-2002
Lecturer, Anglia Polytechnic University, 2002
Lecturer, University of Basel, 2003-2006
Lecturer, University of Southampton, 2006-2010
Senior Lecturer, University of Southampton, 2010-2014
Associate Professor, University of Southampton, 2014-date
Research
Responsibilities
Publications
Teaching
Contact
The general research interests in the Stulz group are concerned with supramolecular chemistry, bio-nanotechnology, medicinal chemistry, nanoparticles and microfluidics.
We are mainly exploring the use of modified DNA in a number of applications, ranging from electronics over gene expression to novel platform technologies in health care. The research is highly interdisciplinary, and reaches into materials science, nanotechnology, analytical science, and into biological / medicinal sciences.
The research into cancer therapy (and other diseases) is supported by the recently launched European Training Network
OLIGOMED
, a €4.2m EU investment across Europe.
In addition, we are investigating in the synthesis of silver nanoprisms for energy applications. We have shown that Ag-NPs can successfully be embedded in a polymer matrix and coated onto glass windows, thus forming an IR-light blocking layer to create more energy efficient windows. One of our main themes is now to develop 3D-printed flow-through reactors for continuous flow reactor synthesis of Ag-NPs, which can also be applied to other nanoparticles (e.g. liposomes).
We are exploring modified DNA for applications in nanotechnology as well as medicine.
1) We have developed DNA based membrane nanopores, which form stable inclusion complexes in lipid bilayers. Together with the groups of Stefan Howorka (UCL) and Ulrich Keyser (Cambridge) we have studied several types of pore forming DNA. We are now investigating the nanopores in targeted cell killing.
2) We aim to explore the use of a naturally derived template, namely DNA, to connect different chromophores and place the units in a predetermined spatial orientation via formation of the double stranded helix of DNA (dsDNA). The nucleobases are being substituted with chromophores, in particular porphyrins, and subsequently incorporated into DNA. The thus obtained functionalised DNA is being explored for its abilities to act as nanoscale electronic wire, as mimic of the natural photosynthetic system, and as FRET system for structural analysis of DNA.
3) The advent of the DNA origami technology has certainly transformed DNA bio-nanotechnology. Precision made DNA nanostructures have become available, where 2D and 3D structures can be designed and created almost at will. We are using both discrete DNA origami tiles and extended DNA arrays for precision templating of proteins. Together with Dafydd Jones in Cardiff we make use of site-specifically modified proteins with azides, which are coupled to alkyne-DNA using copper-free click chemistry (ACS Nano 2017). This allows to make proteins where exactly one DNA strand is attached to the protein at very precise locations.
Silver Nanoprisms for energy management
Nano particles such as silver nanospheres, silver nanoprisms or lipid vesicles, can be produced at a high rate and with controlled precision (size) using continuous flow reactors. These are being fabricated and tested together with Engineering (Xunli Zhang).
In times of man-made global warming – and with it climate change – it is crucial to tackle general energy problems. Our efforts to contribute to this field is in the formation of silver nanoprisms, which efficiently absorb infrared light. These can be coated in a silica shell and covalently embedded in a PMMA matrix for coating of windows. In this way we have shown that the Ag-NPs are able to block the IR light efficiently with sub-mm film thickness. In addition, these systems are also evaluated for their use as solar energy converters to generate heat from sunlight.
Research keywords
DNA nanotechnology, DNA nanoarchitectonics, supramolecular chemistry, DNA origami, porphyrins, nucleotide therapeutics
Research grants
2014-2018 A*STAR ARAP and UoS “Development of a modular DNAorigami based cell targeting system for cancer therapy”; E. Stulz, P. L Bigliardi (CRUSAR/IMB Singapore), M. Bigliardi-Qi (IMB Singapore), B. Rout, Brendan Burkett (ICES Singapore). (£90k)
2013-2015 Marie Skłodowska-Curie IEF “Functional DNA nanomaterials”. (€231k)
2012-2017 BBSRC sLoLa “Extending the Boundaries of Nucleic Acid Chemistry”; E. Stulz, K. Fox, A. Tavassoli; Oxford: T. Brown (PI), A. Turberfield, J. Mellor, R. Klose, E. Fodor, A. Kapanidis. (£4.2M)
2012-2016 A*STAR ARAP and UoS “Chemically Tagged DNA probes for sensing of DNA methylation biomarkers using Lab-on-a-chip; E. Stulz, M. K. Park (IME Singapore). (£85k)
2012-2015 EU Interreg “A-I Chem Channel” D.C. Harrowven, R.C.D. Brown, B. Linclau, R.J. Whitby, R. Raja, E. Stulz, P.A. Gale. (£614k)
2012-2013 USRG NanoScience “Validation of structure and theoretical model of chemically modified DNA”; E. Stulz, S. Khalid. (£15k)
2011-2013 Leverhulme Trust “Sizing forensic nucleotide repeat sequences with nanopores”; E. Stulz, S. Howorka (UCL). (£113k)
2010-2012 EPSRC “Feasibility Account: DNA nano-biotechnology”; E. Stulz, A. Turberfield (Oxford). (£252k)
2008-2012 BBSRC DTA “G-quadruplexes stabilised by porphyrins”. (£84k)
2008-2011 EPSRC “Molecular Software and Hardware for Programmed Chemical Synthesis”; E. Stulz, A. Turberfied (Oxford), R. O’Reilly (Warwick). (£271k)
2007-2010 EPSRC CASE DTA with ATDbio, “FRET-Analysis of DNA using conformationally restricted metal complexes”. (£63k)
2007-2010 EPSRC “Software-controlled assembly of oligomers”; E. Stulz, A. Turberfied (Oxford), R. O’Reilly (Warwick). (£203k)
PhD Students:
Harriet Kimpton
Bilal Mughal
Julia Jagosz
MPhil/PHD Research
Investigating the Use of Silver Nanofluids for Solar Collectors Connected to a Thermal Storage System; Eugen Stulz, Xunli Zhang (PI); DSTL / DTP (CDT Energy)
Nanocomposite coatings for infrared signature management; Eugen Stulz, Xunli Zhang (PI); DSTL / DTP (CDT Energy)
Development of Nanomaterial Coating and Stabilising Strategies; Eugen Stulz, Xunli Zhang (PI); DSTL / DTP (CDT Energy)
Targeting the IRES structure of mRNA for modulating gene translation; Eugen Stulz (PI), Tilman Sanchez-Elsner; H2020 ETN OLIGOMED
Modular DNA nanopore (NP) for targeted cell killing; Eugen Stulz (PI), Sean Lim; H2020 ETN OLIGOMED
Development of methods for large scale manufacturing of ON constructs; Ulf Tedebark (Research Institutes of Sweden, Stockholm), Eugen Stulz; H2020 ETN OLIGOMED
Next-generation Programmable Oligonucleotide Delivery Systems (PODS); Anna Perdrix Rosell (Sixfold Bioscience Ltd, London); H2020 ETN OLIGOMED
Affiliated University of Southampton Research groups: