Associate

Roberto Laos

Education

• BS in Chemistry. Pontificia Universidad Catolica, Peru (2000)
• License Diploma in Chemistry. Pontificia Universidad Catolica, Peru (2001)
• MS in Polymer Science and Engineering. University of Massachusetts Amherst (2003)

Research summary

My research is focused on the in vitro evolution of DNA polymerases. My goal is to produce DNA polymerases able to efficiently incorporate non-standard nucleic acids (AEGIS), which are designed and synthesized by my colleges at the FFAME.

The compartmentalized self-replication (CSR) method allows us to isolate different phenotypes of polymerases in microdroplets that contain, on average, one gene per microdroplet. This system resembles natural selection, as the genes and the molecules they encode are separated from each other in compartments (cells). Our in vitro selection experiments allow us to select among 2x10⁸ different genes in a volume of less than 1 mL.

Awards

• Coca Cola Eco-efficiency Award (First Place, 2003)

Publications

Solution H-1 NMR confirmation of folding in short o-phenylene ethynylene oligomers
Jones, TV Slutsky, MM Laos, R de Greef, TFA Tew, GN
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 127 (49) 17235-17240 (2005)
<Abstract>

Oligomers based on an o-phenylene ethynylene (oPE) backbone with polar substituents have been synthesized using Sonogashira methods. Folding of these extremely short oligomers was confirmed via 1D and 2D (NOESY) NMR methods. Utilizing electron-rich and electron-poor phenylene building blocks, variations of these oPE oligomers have been synthesized to determine the folded stability of pi-rich vs pi-poor vs pi-rich pi-poor systems. Slight variations in temperature offer a route, aside from solvent denaturation, to probe the stability of the folded structure. This is the first report of an NMR solution characterization of folding for a PE backbone without hydrogen bonds.