Speaker
Description
Electron transfer (ET) underpins many essential biological reactions, including photosynthesis, respiration, and nitrogen fixation. Together, these reactions shape how electrons move through soils, sediments, and living systems. Electrochemistry provides a direct approach to study and influence these processes by using electrodes as controllable electron sources or sinks, similar to natural electron acceptors like oxygen or mineral oxides. Despite their importance, the molecular details of how biological systems exchange electrons (particularly at biotic–abiotic interfaces) are poorly understood. The central goal of the Furst Lab is to understand biological electron transfer at these interfaces and to use that knowledge to develop practical technologies that improve human and environmental health. We combine electrochemistry with synthetic biology, materials engineering, and chemical synthesis to (i) uncover the basic rules that govern electron flow, molecular movement, and chemical reactions at interfaces, and (ii) apply those rules to create low‑cost, durable technologies suitable for use in low‑resource settings. As an example, we have demonstrated bio-similar electron transfer between electroactive microbes (Shewanella oneidensis) and electrode materials, driven by the interactions between ET mediators and conductive polymers. We have applied these learnings to improve environmental sensors based on these microbes. By harnessing biological electron transfer at engineered interfaces, we create pathways not only for environmental sensing but for bioremediation of persistent contaminants, advancing both fundamental science and environmental justice.