Mr. Bal is currently a PhD student in the lab of Dr. Dibyendu Das (Swarnajayanti Fellow 2020) at the Department of Chemical Sciences, IISER Kolkata. He published a paper titled “Non‐Equilibrium Polymerization of Cross‐β Amyloid Peptides for Temporal Control of Electronic Properties” as a joint first author in Angewandte Chemie International Edition (2020).
Author interview
How would you explain your paper’s key results to the non-scientific community?
Studying the basics of biological processes often leads to key discoveries. Many scientific breakthroughs come from understanding how nature works and recreating those mechanisms in synthetic systems.
Our research, published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition, focuses on non-equilibrium polymerization of cross-β amyloid peptides to achieve temporal control over electrical conductivity.
You may be familiar with polymers—large molecules made by linking smaller units (monomers). In Alzheimer’s disease, the polymerization of Amyloid-β42 proteins under equilibrium conditions leads to harmful plaques.
In contrast, microtubules, essential structures in cells, undergo non-equilibrium polymerization—they only remain polymerized while energy (in the form of GTP) is available.
Inspired by this, we created a synthetic system using amyloid peptides that polymerize and depolymerize over time, leading to transient control over their electrical properties.
What are the possible consequences of these findings for your research area?
Our work demonstrates accelerated catalysis from the polymerized state, which then leads to its breakdown. This unique self-destructing system opens new possibilities in designing:
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Bioinspired devices
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Real-time diagnostic tools
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Self-erasing security circuits
It pushes the boundaries of what synthetic chemistry can do by imitating nature’s transient systems.
“[…] my own eureka moment was the phase transition of our system with time (i.e., sol-gel-sol transition).”
What was the exciting moment (eureka moment) during your research?
My eureka moment was observing a visible phase transition—a change from sol (liquid) to gel (solid-like) and back to sol over time. This sol-gel-sol transition confirmed the transient nature of the system and inspired us to explore it further.
What do you hope to do next?
We aim to design more life-like out-of-equilibrium systems using small, self-assembling peptide sequences. Our vision is to build bioelectronic devices using peptide nanostructures that are sustainable, functional, and biocompatible.
Where do you seek scientific inspiration?
Initially, inspiration comes from data that supports a hypothesis. Over time, it grows through collaboration, mentorship, and working with a diverse group of researchers—each bringing unique skills, strengths, and cultural backgrounds that enrich the process.
How do you intend to help Indian science improve?
I believe that non-equilibrium self-assembly represents a paradigm shift in materials and systems chemistry.
This approach has the potential to:
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Solve biocompatibility challenges
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Enable ubiquitous biosensors in clinical diagnostics
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Contribute to synthetic biology and the de novo synthesis of life
In India, integrating such advanced science with clinical applications and technology development could accelerate innovation and healthcare solutions. Although long-term impacts are hard to predict, we are paving the way.
Reference
Bal S#, Ghosh C#, Ghosh T, Vijayaraghavan R K, Das D.
Non‐Equilibrium Polymerization of Cross‐β Amyloid Peptides for Temporal Control of Electronic Properties. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2020, 59, 13506. #Equal contribution.
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