My field draws inspiration from biology because natural molecular pumps exist in all living organisms.”
James Seale (he/him)
PhD Candidate in the Department of Chemistry
James Seale is a PhD candidate in the Department of Chemistry in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. His research focuses on integrating artificial molecular pumps into soft matter systems. James previously worked in R&D for the organic thin film transistors team at Merck Chemical’s Ltd in Southampton, England. He completed his master’s degree research project in the lab of Professor Alison Hulme at The University of Edinburgh.
How would you describe your research and/or work to a non-academic audience?
I'm trying to integrate artificial molecular pumps—developed by my research group over the past decade—into soft matter aggregates.
My field draws inspiration from biology because natural molecular pumps exist in all living organisms. These biological molecular pumps fundamentally underpin life. For example, there is a plant toxin called ouabain that inhibits the operation of just one type of molecular pump (Na/K-ATPases) in the body. If you have the misfortune of being shot with a poison arrow coated with ouabain, you will die within minutes to hours, which, to me, really hammers home just how important even a single type of molecular pump is for the normal operation of the body.
Our thinking is that if we can learn to make artificial molecular pumps that mimic the function of the biological molecular pumps in our body, we will gain access to a whole new area of chemistry that can approach the complexity of cells and organisms.
What have been some of the most memorable twists and turns of your career?
The COVID-19 pandemic was a spanner in the works but also a source of inspiration. I couldn't access the lab for a few months but, thanks to guidance from my mentors, Fraser Stoddart and Doug Philp, I spent the time poring over the molecular pump literature and learning to run computational chemistry calculations. Both have turned out to be useful learning experiences.
In a more general sense, watching the development of the mRNA vaccines was a very welcome source of inspiration for me. While doing academic research, there is sometimes a feeling of impotence against the pressing issues in the world. Does this paper matter? Will anyone even read it? The mRNA vaccines were, for me, a major reminder that, yes, science and technology are a big part of the answer to the world issues that, right now, seem to be pressing in from every side.
Tell us what inspired your research and/or work.
As I said, biological molecular pumps are omnipresent in living organisms, and specifically, on the cell membranes of those organisms. Artificial molecular pumps, however, have only really been studied floating around in liquid, unconnected to any kind of organized structure like a cell. My research is now focused on trying to attach these artificial molecular pumps to soft matter aggregates that mimic the general structure of a cell. I think this will take us a little closer to emulating nature's own nanotechnology.
Whom do you admire in your field and otherwise, and why?
A bit of an opt-out answer here, but I've got to say my adviser, Fraser. I thought I was hard-working before I met him. He's a 365-days-a-year kind of guy. Even when he takes a break for a quick nap on the couch, he’ll have a scientific manuscript resting on his chest. This says something about reading scientific manuscripts, but it also says a lot about Fraser's work ethic. Even more important than that, though, is his very real commitment to his students. He celebrates our successes with far more gusto than he does his own. Most of his time, by far, is spent directly supporting younger colleagues in and outside his lab.
What do you find both rewarding and challenging about your research and/or work?
A lot of experiments fail in scientific research. Sometimes, simple experiments that should work fine will inexplicably fail. Coming from an education system where input work (study) effectively always leads to output results (improved grades), this can be disheartening. But slowly, I think I'm learning not to see the failed experiments as a waste of time and instead as a mysterious prerequisite to the eventual successful experiment. Holding on to this kind of stubborn, persistent mindset is a skill I’m trying to develop.
What is the biggest potential impact or implication of your work?
Research into artificial molecular pumps is, for now, what I would call fundamental nanotechnology, which is a nice way of saying that we are not expecting real-world applications in the immediate future. But it’s important to remember that breakthroughs, like mRNA vaccines, spring out of fundamental research conducted over the course of decades. Science can be a long game. And the nice thing about working on artificial molecular pumps is that we have this very direct proof of their potential in the natural world. If we can one day create artificial molecular pumps as sophisticated as their biological counterparts, I think the impact on materials science, medicine, energy storage, and a whole host of other disciplines will be enormous.
What books are on your bedside table?
Well, I have a few in a disorderly stack, but here is a flavor of them: (1) Breasts and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami. I like novels full of bizarre surprises, and this one delivers. (2) The Best American Short Stories of the Century. The editor, John Updike, included one of his own short stories in the anthology, which always makes me chuckle, though he was undoubtedly very talented. (3) Modern Physical Organic Chemistry by Anslyn and Dougherty. Here's the real superstar. I have to make sure not to read it right before bed because the explanations are just so lucid and precise that I'd be up all night bouncing off the walls in excitement.
Published: September 6, 2022
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