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\r\nThe conversion of low-carbon resources such as biomass and CO2 into synthetic liquid fuels, value-added chemicals, and biomaterials is a crucial approach for global carbon emission reduction. In this context, this talk will focus on recent research advances on biomass and CO2 conversion to sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), chemicals and bio-based materials. Considering the challenges associated with low-carbon resources, including dispersed distribution, significant fluctuations in raw material composition, and high conversion costs, a distributed-centralized system utilizing alcohols as key platform molecules has been proposed. Alcohol synthesis from biomass and CO2 will be presented with the focus on catalysis for methanol (thermocatalysis) and ethanol synthesis (electrocatalysis) from CO2. Conversion of alcohol to SAF will be introduced with discussions on the design of multifunctional catalysts for alcohol conversion, the dynamic evolution of catalytic sites, and the strategies for tuning product distributions. Additionally, a few examples of biobased materials, such as cellulose nanofiber-based biomaterials and bio-based nylon precursor and polyester precursor, will be presented.
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\r\nBio: Dr. Zhenglong Li is the “Qiushi” Chair Professor of Zhejiang University. He is the lead of the sustainable aviation fuels research of the State Key Laboratory of Bio-based Transportation Fuel Technology, director of the Biomass Value-Added Utilization Research Center, and the director of the Bio-based Chemicals Division in the Institute of Zhejiang University-Quzhou. His research is dedicated to the high-value utilization of biomass and carbon dioxide to synthesize sustainable aviation fuel, chemicals, and bio-based materials. He was the team lead in the biomass conversion area at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (United States) prior to joining Zhejiang University. He was the committee member for the Chemical Catalysis for Bioenergy Consortium under the United States Department of Energy (DOE). His group focus on in-depth understanding of the catalytic processes of biomass and carbon dioxide at the molecular level to guide catalyst design, process development, and industrial application, especially R&D of SAF, bio-based chemicals, key bio-based polymer building blocks. His research group has published many high-impact scientific papers in top journals such as J. Am. Chem. Soc., Nat. Commun., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., ACS Catal., Appl. Catal. B., and others. In terms of technology commercialization, he has developed new core technologies such as bio-based alcohols conversion for sustainable aviation fuel and bio-based biodegradable materials.
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The growing challenges of plastic pollution, fossil resource depletion, and carbon emissions have accelerated the search for sustainable alternatives to polymers. This presentation will focus on the development of fully bio-based polycarbonates, synthesized through the polymerization of carbon dioxide with renewable epoxides. We will first detail our laboratory’s work in generating a diverse portfolio monomer from a wide range of bio-feedstocks including plant oils, terpenes, lignocellulosic biomass, and industrial byproducts. Another focus is the effect of monomer structure on resulting polymer properties and performance, and how post-polymerization modification strategies can be employed to tailor materials for specific applications. (2) Applications of bio-based polycarbonates will be then discussed in fields such as coatings, biomedical materials, adhesives, and their recycling pathways. (3) An outline of future directions will be explored, emphasizing the roles of advanced catalyst design, AI-driven manufacturing, and supportive policy frameworks to enable scalable and sustainable production. The integration of CO2 utilization with renewable feedstocks presents a compelling route toward circular and carbon–neutral materials.
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\r\nBio: Shaoqing Cui, Ph.D., is a Principal Investigator under the Zhejiang University’s \"Hundred Talents Program\" and a recipient of China’s National High-level Talent Program - (Overseas Young Talent Project). She used to be an Assistant Professor at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville (United States) before joining Zhejiang University. Her research focuses on the valorization of agricultural waste and carbon dioxide conversion and utilization, including high-value utilization of agricultural straw, waste oils as well as microalgae biomass. She has led and participated in multiple research projects, including a U.S. Department of Energy project on the efficient catalytic conversion of waste-treatment microalgae and CO2 into high-value plastic products, also two U.S. Department of Agriculture projects. Since joining the Zhejiang University in 2023, she has also been leading several major research initiatives, including projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and Zhejiang Provincial Key R&D Programs.
You can apply to participate and find all the relevant information (speakers, abstracts, program,...) on the event website: https://www.cecam.org/workshop-details/challenges-in-modelling-ion-channels-simulations-meet-experiments-1369.
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\r\nRegistration is required to attend the full event, take part in the social activities and present a poster at the poster session (if any). However, the EPFL community is welcome to attend specific lectures without registration if the topic is of interest to their research. Do not hesitate to contact the CECAM Event Manager if you have any question.
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\r\nDescription
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\r\nThe human genome includes more than 300 genes coding for ion channel proteins, representing approximately 2% of the total number of genes. This abundance of ion channels highlights their critical role in numerous biological processes and their involvement in diseases, underscoring their importance as potential drug targets. Ion channels exert their biological roles through three main functional characteristics: the highly efficient selective conduction of ions; the capacity to open and close in response to chemical/physical stimuli (gating); and the decrease in conductance upon sustained stimuli (inactivation). In the last 20 years, the number of experimental atomic structures of ion channels has increased from a few units to hundreds, now including representative structures for most of the ion channel families. Simulations based on these experimental structures have significantly contributed to the current understanding of conduction, selectivity, gating, and inactivation [1-2]. Strengthening the quantitative agreement between simulations and experiments is now essential for advancing in this field. This effort is currently hampered by common issues in biomolecular simulations, such as the limited timescales for observing biologically relevant events and the sub-optimal accuracy of the underlying physical models. Both of these shortcomings are expected to be mitigated by recent methodological developments. For instance, atomic simulations of ion channels with polarizable force fields have been recently reported [3]. Lack of polarization is a well-known limitation of classical force fields, especially when describing ion-protein and ion-water interactions in a crowded environment like the pore cavity. Consequently, the usage of polarizable force fields is considered a promising strategy for improving the agreement with experimental data about ion conduction and selectivity. An alternative strategy for enhancing the model accuracy in critical channel regions is to combine molecular mechanics with quantum approaches. Thanks to the ever-increasing computational resources, now combined with advancements in codes for hybrid QM/MM models, this approach is becoming feasible for ion channel research [4]. Increasing computational resources, coupled with improved algorithms for accelerating rare events and potentially harnessing machine learning, are also opening new possibilities in the study of state transitions. Gating and inactivation events of ion channels are finally becoming accessible to atomic simulations, offering important insights into the mechanistic functioning of this important protein superfamily [5]. The proposed workshop will foster further developments in the field by bringing together leading scientists in the experimental methodologies and computational techniques used in ion channel research in a stimulating and collaborative environment.
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\r\nReferences
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\r\n[1] E. Flood, C. Boiteux, B. Lev, I. Vorobyov, T. Allen, Chem. Rev., 119, 7737-7832 (2019)
\r\n[2] C. Guardiani, F. Cecconi, L. Chiodo, G. Cottone, P. Malgaretti, L. Maragliano, M. Barabash, G. Camisasca, M. Ceccarelli, B. Corry, R. Roth, A. Giacomello, B. Roux, Advances in Physics: X, 7, (2022)
\r\n[3] V. Ngo, H. Li, A. MacKerell, T. Allen, B. Roux, S. Noskov, J. Chem. Theory Comput., 17, 1726-1741 (2021)
\r\n[4] F. Schackert, J. Biedermann, S. Abdolvand, S. Minniberger, C. Song, A. Plested, P. Carloni, H. Sun, J. Chem. Inf. Model., 63, 1293-1300 (2023)
\r\n[5] S. Pérez-Conesa, L. Delemotte, Free energy landscapes of KcsA inactivation, 2023
Join us for the third edition of the Lemanic Life Sciences Hackathon!
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\r\nOrganized by EPFL School of Life Sciences, EPFL AI Center and the University of Bern, we aim to bring together clinicians, life scientists, and data scientists to test ideas, drive innovation, and tackle real-world challenges in healthcare and research.
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\r\nExplore the untapped potential of AI in life sciences and clinical research\r\n
Depuis 2011, le CDH-Culture invite un·e artiste à présenter une œuvre en relation avec le Rolex Learning Center. Cette année, Séverin Guelpa, artiste basé à Genève, travaillant entre le Valais (les glaciers), les Etats-Unis (les déserts) et le Chili (Salar d’Atacama), propose une série de grandes sculptures évoquant les tremblements - géologiques, politiques ou écologiques - qui secouent notre monde.
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\r\nL’artiste a récupéré des pierres dans une carrière suisse, il ajoute des éléments réfléchissants, il compose avec des déchets métalliques et du bois de charpente. Ces œuvres, en équilibre-déséquilibre, manifestent les forces et les tensions, ainsi que les chutes, les glissements et les catastrophes possibles. Ces œuvres font aussi référence, de près ou de loin, aux événements intervenus récemment dans les villages de Blatten (Valais) ou de Brienz (Grisons), désormais célèbres pour leurs impressionnants glissements de terrain.
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\r\nElles interprètent librement cette période mouvementée que nous traversons et qui nous oblige à réfléchir à nos propres limites. Comme un écho à la période de turbulences que nous traversons, elles réfléchissent une forme de précarité, d’imprévisibilité ou encore de fragilité. Les morceaux d’acier poli interagissent directement avec le Rolex Learning Center qu’ils mettent en scène dans le tourbillon du monde.
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\r\nTremblement aborde des questions constructives mais aussi humaines et collectives. A l’allure à la fois technique et fragile, ces sculptures consistent en des mises en tension de matières et de formes, comme maintenues en équilibre par l’énergie de leur mise en œuvre. Ces éléments seront réalisés en collaboration avec différentes entreprises locales, dont une scierie du Val de Bagne, une carrière de la vallée du Rhône, une entreprise de façades métalliques à Fribourg et une autre de vitres à Bulle. A chaque fois, il s’agira au possible de recourir à des chutes de production ou à du bois issu d’abattage après tempête. Bois et pierre renvoient aux matières premières, métal et câble aux gestes et à la manutention humaine.
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\r\nVernissage le jeudi 9 octobre 2025 à 18h
\r\nExposition à voir jusqu'au 26 avril 2026
\r\nEntrée libre
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\r\nCette exposition bénéficie de l'apport généreux des partenaires suivants que nous remercions:
\r\nMTA Carrière (St-Léonard)
\r\nROCPAN SA et RAY SA (Givisiez)
\r\nScierie de la Rippe SARL
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\r\nL’ARTISTE
\r\nExplorateur des espaces extrêmes, observateur des actions humaines dans la nature, Séverin Guelpa (1974) cherche à agir avec les écosystèmes en vue de mieux les habiter. Son travail s’ancre dans les territoires fragiles, exposés, menacés – ces zones du globe où les tensions entre nature, ressources, économie et survie humaine sont les plus palpables. Depuis plusieurs années, il arpente déserts, zones arides, espaces industriels ou géographies en transition, pour y extraire une forme de vérité physique et poétique.
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\r\nDepuis 2014, Séverin Guelpa a été invité à participer à de nombreuses expositions, biennales et événements importants à travers le monde. Il a notamment exposé au Palais de Tokyo à Paris, au Museu do Amanhã à Rio de Janeiro, et a participé à des biennales internationales telles que celles de Mongolie, d’Athènes ou encore de Larnaca à Chypre. Ces invitations témoignent de la reconnaissance d’un travail engagé, qui place la matière et le territoire au cœur d’une réflexion artistique contemporaine.
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\r\nIl a fondé la plateforme collective MATZA qui s’est déployée dans le désert du Mojave (2014–2017), sur le glacier d’Aletsch (2016–2018), sur les îles Kerkennah en Tunisie (2017) puis en Colombie (Medellín et Cúcuta) et au Kenya (Nairobi) entre 2022 et 2023.
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\r\nAprès une formation en sciences politiques, Séverin Guelpa a obtenu un master en arts visuels à la HEAD – Genève. Il a depuis été invité à présenter son travail, à donner conférences et workshops dans de nombreuses institutions, universités et écoles d’art, en Suisse comme à l’international.\r\n
\r\nFrom digital puzzles to space simulations, play has become a major arena for creation, innovation, and reflection. Through a curated selection of video games, history books, essays, and academic research, the Library invites you to discover the many dimensions of games and gaming culture. Borrow the documents and keep the experience going at home!
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\r\nThrough this annual call for projects, CROSS provides competitive grants to support new seed research endeavors that have the potential to grow into full–scale interdisciplinary research projects.
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\r\nThe 2024 CROSS call is open to all topics.
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\r\nPROPOSALS:
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\r\nProposals must come from joint UNIL-EPFL teams, which bring together specialists in the human and social sciences on the one hand, with specialists from life sciences, natural sciences or engineering on the other. Up to six projects will be selected, with a maximum of CHF 60,000 awarded per project.\r\n