Bio
Professor Stine received his BS from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, NJ, and his Ph.D. from MIT. He was a postdoctoral fellow at UCLA and joined the UMSL faculty in 1990. He served as Chair of the Faculty Senate and University Assembly for two years and was appointed Department Chair on August 1, 2019. Dr. Stine's research effort involves studies of modified surfaces and nanostructures. The surface modification of nanostructures is pursued with a focus on their prospective applications in bioanalytical chemistry, such as immunoassays, sensors, or separations. Immobilization of proteins onto nanostructures of gold and other materials is conducted by adsorption or by covalent linkage to self-assembled monolayers, and various forms of microscopy are actively used to characterize these nanostructures (SEM, TEM, AFM). The bioanalytical application of these materials is pursued using primarily electrochemical methods such as impedance spectroscopy and voltammetry. Nanoporous gold and other related materials are of particular interest due to their high surface area and capacity to be surface modified, as well as their support of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). The preparation and characterization of these materials uses a range of electrochemical techniques and other analytical methods, including gas adsorption isotherm analysis for the determination of pore size, distribution, and surface area, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) for the analysis of surface loading. Nanoporous gold is being used for the development of electrochemical sensors for small molecules such as pollutants and hormones. Other projects concern the study of lipid monolayers and bilayers as models of processes occurring at the surface of cell membranes, and the use of these monolayers in molecular recognition studies. Monolayers are studied using surface pressure isotherms and atomic force microscopy of transferred layers.

Talk
Carbon Dots Conundrum: A Chemical Perspective Having attracted a great deal of interest in recent years, and with the number of applications proposed for them experiencing a boom, the use of nanomaterials for biological environmental applications has become a ‘hot’ issue. Several applications have been proposed, such as their use in drug delivery, cancer therapy, localized heating, and biological probes, with these uses being supported by scientific reports and papers assessing nanomaterials' viability and outstanding properties. However, when the bridge from proof of concept to real-world product needs to be crossed, as when attention is turned to their practical use in humans, requirements for their material characterization become very stringent. Without a thorough characterization, it is not possible to assess the reproducibility or biocompatibility of these nanoparticles and hence determine that they will behave in the same way with respect to the desired application. In this talk, we will focus on carbon dots, i.e., carbon-based nanostructures close to 0 d in size (the size of a few nm). Carbon dots can be produced in different ways, even beginning with naturally derived chemicals like citric acid and urea. After a brief description of a few methods with which to produce carbon dots, we will focus on their structural composition in order to establish a strong correlation between their chemical features and physicochemical properties.

Bio
Dr. Bartoli graduated in Chemistry summa cum laude from the University of Florence (Italy) in 2013 and obtained his Ph.D. in 2016. After receiving his Ph.D., he moved to the Biorefinery Research Group hosted by the University of Alberta, where he contributed to developing new materials for catalytic applications and new technologies. During this period, he also worked as head of R&D for Forge Hydrocarbon, a spin-off company of the University of Alberta, solving several issues of the innovative lipid-to-hydrocarbon technology for renewable hydrocarbon production. In 2018, he joined the Carbon Group hosted by Polytechnic of Turin, working on the reactivity of carbon nanomaterials and inorganic nanoparticles. Since 2021, he has been an adjunct Professor of chemistry and a researcher at the Italian Institute of Technology.

Talk
Nanomaterials in Modern Agriculture: Enhancing Productivity While Addressing Environmental and Health Risks Nanomaterials are increasingly being integrated into modern agricultural systems as innovative tools to enhance crop productivity, nutrient use efficiency, and stress tolerance. Engineered nanofertilizers, nanopesticides, and nano-enabled delivery systems offer targeted and controlled release mechanisms that may improve plant performance while reducing conventional agrochemical inputs. However, alongside these promising benefits, important questions remain regarding their environmental fate, bioavailability, accumulation in soil–plant systems, and potential impacts on non-target organisms and human health. It is important to study the dual nature of nanomaterials in agriculture, analyzing the mechanistic basis of plant–nanomaterial interactions and their implications at the ecosystem level. Rather than framing nanotechnology as a purely enabling solution, a balanced perspective is needed that integrates productivity gains with rigorous environmental evaluation. Advancing agriculture with nanomaterials will ultimately depend not only on technological efficiency but also on our ability to understand long-term ecological consequences and ensure scientifically grounded, responsible implementation.

Bio
Dr. Karen Esquivel Escalante is a full-time professor at the Autonomous University of Queretaro in the Nanotechnology department of the Engineering Faculty, where she has worked since 2011. She has been a member of the National System of Researchers (SNI) of the National Science and Technology Council since 2012, and is currently at level 2. Throughout her short career as a research professor, her goal has been to contribute to scientific and technological development and give back to the scientific community through published research. Within her work, different topics of scientific interest stand out, such as the pursuit of new methods for synthesizing nanostructured materials through chemical processes assisted by external energy sources like sonochemistry and microwaves. The materials that have been developed have applications as smart materials, in advanced oxidation processes for the treatment of water and air, as well as for their toxicological and elicitor evaluation in plant species. The results of this research have been published in various high-impact, indexed scientific journals, and her success can also be measured in the notable impact she has had on her undergraduate and graduate students.

Talk
Layered double hydroxides as MRI contrast agent and platform for therapy Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are particulate materials with a structure formed by different crystalline sites that can be substituted to enable multifunctionality. By occupying trivalent cation sites with iron, dysprosium, or gadolinium cations, we were able to produce particles capable of demagnetizing structural water and generating contrast in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This talk will explore the synthesis conditions required to obtain the LDH contrast and the structural features that produce MRI contrast through in vitro and in vivo assays. [EE1.1]In addition, in vitro results will show how these particles promise to reduce the dose of drug administered and facilitate assembly with targeting agents, which are desirable for targeted therapy or selective MRI contrast.

Bio
Dr. Gregorio Guadalupe Carbajal Arízaga has been a Tenured Associate Professor at the University of Guadalajara (Mexico) since 2011. He holds a B.Sc. in Chemistry from the University of Guadalajara (2000). He earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the Federal University of Paraná, Brazil (2008), and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Center for Nanosciences and Nanotechnology, UNAM (2009–2011). His research focuses on solid-state chemistry, especially in the synthesis of multifunctional materials based on layered double hydroxides and carbon dots. Before his academic career, he worked as an analytical chemist in laboratories for asphalt, water, soil, and food analyses (1992–2002), an experience that strengthened his applied approach to research and teaching. Dr. Carbajal Arízaga has co-authored 103 peer-reviewed articles (45% as first or corresponding author) and 5 book chapters. He has supervised 24 master's/doctoral theses, and is the co-inventor of 4 granted patents, including 1 transferred to industry. He serves as a reviewer for 43 international journals and collaborates on R&D projects in the industry. Web of Science ID: I-3548-2013 SCOPUS ID: 9236534000 ORCID: 0000-0003-3120-0243 https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Gregorio-Carbajal-Arizaga http://lattes.cnpq.br/2350583852994186