Ester Vázquez | |
---|---|
Born | Ester Vázquez Fernández-Pacheco 1973 Ciudad Real (Spain) |
Nationality | Spanish |
Alma mater | University of Castilla-La Mancha |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Graphene, sustainable chemistry, soft materials |
Institutions | University of Castilla-La Mancha, University of Zaragoza, Karolinska Institute, University of Trieste |
Thesis | Aplicación de irradiación microondas y catálisis ácida heterogénea en química orgánica medioambiental. Síntesis y reactividad de heterociclos (2000) |
Doctoral advisor | Andrés Moreno Moreno, Antonio de la Hoz Ayuso |
Website | http://www.msocnanochemistrygroup.com/ |
Ester Vázquez Fernández-Pacheco (born 1973) is an expert in carbon nanostructures and sustainable synthesis. She is a full professor at the University of Castilla la Mancha and a group leader at the MSOC Nanochemistry group. [1]
Ester Vázquez Fernández-Pacheco obtained her PhD degree from the University of Castilla-la Mancha in 2000. Her PhD studies covered the applications of microwave irradiation in catalysis, [2] synthesis, [3] and sustainable chemistry. [4] She also spent a few months at the University of Zaragoza (Spain), where she studied the uses of silica-supported Lewis acids for catalysis; [5] and later at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm (Sweden), where she worked on the application of microwaves to prepare radiolabelling tracers for positron emission tomography. [6] After finishing her PhD, she carried out her postdoctoral training at the University of Trieste (Italy) working on biological applications of fullerenes [7] [8] and carbon nanotubes [9] [10] in the group of Maurizio Prato. She then returned to her alma mater, where she was promoted to Associate Professor in 2010, [11] and then Full Professor in 2019. [12]
Her current research focuses on the functionalization and purification of carbon nanostructures, [13] including graphene, [14] using green protocols. She has applied innovative methodologies, such as ball-milling, to prepare green graphene by mixing graphite and sugar crystals. [15] Usually, graphene is produced by exfoliating graphite in solvents, but this alternative does not need toxic chemicals, thus facilitating new biomedical and agricultural applications for graphene. [16] Her research group is currently collaborating with multinational manufacturers such as Grupo Antolin to scale up the production of green graphene with mechanochemical methods. [17]
Interested in medical technologies, Vázquez recently shifted her focus towards soft materials for artificial tissues, [18] some of which showcase self-healing properties. [19] She is also studying the possibilities of carbon-based materials and soft-materials to build robots that respond to external stimuli such as changes in concentration [20] or electric fields. [21] These robots could find applications in assisted industrial manipulation, rehabilitation, and medical technologies. [22]
Furthermore, Ester Vázquez is part of the Graphene Flagship, one of the largest research projects ever funded by the European Commission. [23] She is an active member of the Work Package for Health and Environment since the beginning of the project in 2013. [22] Within this group of researchers, she studies the toxicity and potential harmful effects of graphene and two-dimensional materials, evaluating the effects on skin irritation, [24] communication between cells, [25] and oral ingestion, [26] among others. Moreover, she co-authoured a safety-assessment study of the impact of graphene and related materials in both human health and the environment. [27] The paper, which reviewed the interactions between graphene with key organs and organisms, including bacteria, algae, plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates in various ecosystems, concluded graphene and graphene-based materials are less toxic than carbon nanotubes. [28] Her research also shows that human white cells can biodegrade single and few-layer graphene thanks to myeloperoxidase enzymes. [29]
She has published over 150 peer-reviewed scientific papers [30] and co-authored 5 patents. [31]
In 2009, Ester Vázquez received the Prize « Ibn Wafid de Toledo» [32] for young researchers, [33] awarded by the Government of Castilla-La Mancha (Spain). [34]
Ester Vázquez | |
---|---|
Born | Ester Vázquez Fernández-Pacheco 1973 Ciudad Real (Spain) |
Nationality | Spanish |
Alma mater | University of Castilla-La Mancha |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Graphene, sustainable chemistry, soft materials |
Institutions | University of Castilla-La Mancha, University of Zaragoza, Karolinska Institute, University of Trieste |
Thesis | Aplicación de irradiación microondas y catálisis ácida heterogénea en química orgánica medioambiental. Síntesis y reactividad de heterociclos (2000) |
Doctoral advisor | Andrés Moreno Moreno, Antonio de la Hoz Ayuso |
Website | http://www.msocnanochemistrygroup.com/ |
Ester Vázquez Fernández-Pacheco (born 1973) is an expert in carbon nanostructures and sustainable synthesis. She is a full professor at the University of Castilla la Mancha and a group leader at the MSOC Nanochemistry group. [1]
Ester Vázquez Fernández-Pacheco obtained her PhD degree from the University of Castilla-la Mancha in 2000. Her PhD studies covered the applications of microwave irradiation in catalysis, [2] synthesis, [3] and sustainable chemistry. [4] She also spent a few months at the University of Zaragoza (Spain), where she studied the uses of silica-supported Lewis acids for catalysis; [5] and later at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm (Sweden), where she worked on the application of microwaves to prepare radiolabelling tracers for positron emission tomography. [6] After finishing her PhD, she carried out her postdoctoral training at the University of Trieste (Italy) working on biological applications of fullerenes [7] [8] and carbon nanotubes [9] [10] in the group of Maurizio Prato. She then returned to her alma mater, where she was promoted to Associate Professor in 2010, [11] and then Full Professor in 2019. [12]
Her current research focuses on the functionalization and purification of carbon nanostructures, [13] including graphene, [14] using green protocols. She has applied innovative methodologies, such as ball-milling, to prepare green graphene by mixing graphite and sugar crystals. [15] Usually, graphene is produced by exfoliating graphite in solvents, but this alternative does not need toxic chemicals, thus facilitating new biomedical and agricultural applications for graphene. [16] Her research group is currently collaborating with multinational manufacturers such as Grupo Antolin to scale up the production of green graphene with mechanochemical methods. [17]
Interested in medical technologies, Vázquez recently shifted her focus towards soft materials for artificial tissues, [18] some of which showcase self-healing properties. [19] She is also studying the possibilities of carbon-based materials and soft-materials to build robots that respond to external stimuli such as changes in concentration [20] or electric fields. [21] These robots could find applications in assisted industrial manipulation, rehabilitation, and medical technologies. [22]
Furthermore, Ester Vázquez is part of the Graphene Flagship, one of the largest research projects ever funded by the European Commission. [23] She is an active member of the Work Package for Health and Environment since the beginning of the project in 2013. [22] Within this group of researchers, she studies the toxicity and potential harmful effects of graphene and two-dimensional materials, evaluating the effects on skin irritation, [24] communication between cells, [25] and oral ingestion, [26] among others. Moreover, she co-authoured a safety-assessment study of the impact of graphene and related materials in both human health and the environment. [27] The paper, which reviewed the interactions between graphene with key organs and organisms, including bacteria, algae, plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates in various ecosystems, concluded graphene and graphene-based materials are less toxic than carbon nanotubes. [28] Her research also shows that human white cells can biodegrade single and few-layer graphene thanks to myeloperoxidase enzymes. [29]
She has published over 150 peer-reviewed scientific papers [30] and co-authored 5 patents. [31]
In 2009, Ester Vázquez received the Prize « Ibn Wafid de Toledo» [32] for young researchers, [33] awarded by the Government of Castilla-La Mancha (Spain). [34]