Dr Fabio Nudelman

Senior Lecturer

Contact details

Address

Street

Room 259
University of Edinburgh
Joseph Black Building
David Brewster Road
Edinburgh
EH9 3FJ

City
Post code

Research summary

Biogenic minerals, organic-inorganic hybrid materials, protein-crystal interactions, (cryo)electron microscopy, soft matter

Research Overview

Biomineralization: understanding how organisms make bone, teeth, shells and more

In nature, organisms from all 5 kingdoms produce more than 60 different minerals that fulfill a wide variety of functions. Examples are magnetite particles used by bacteria to navigate through Earth’s magnetic field; shells and coral skeletons that give protection to the animals; and vertebrate bone that provide mechanical support and protection for the body. We are interested in understanding how organisms control the precipitation of minerals to produce such mineralized tissues with well controlled shapes and properties. This is a very exciting and multidisciplinary area that combines elements from chemistry, biology and material sciences.

  1. Marzec, B., Walker, J. M., Jhons, J., Wheeler, A., Panagopoulou, M., Clare, D., Shaver, M., Nudelman, F. Three-dimensional architecture and surface functionality of coccolith base plates. J. Struct. Biol., 2019, 208, 127-136.
  2. Montroni, D., Marzec, B., Valle, F., Nudelman, F., Falini, G. β-chitin nanofibrils self-assembly in aqueous environments. Biomacromol.2019, 20, 6, 2421-2429.
  3. Walker, J., Marzec, B., Lee, R. B. Y., Vodrazkova, K., Day, S. J., Tang, C. C., Rickaby, R. E. M., Nudelman, F. Polymorph selectivity of coccolith-associated polysaccharides from Gephyrocapsa oceanica on calcium carbonate formation in vitro. Adv. Func. Mater. 2019, 29, 1807168.
  4. Sim, A.; Rashdan, N.; Cui, L.; Moss, A.; Nudelman, F.; Dweck, M.; MacRae, V.; Hulme, A. A novel diagnostic tool for the detection of hydroxyapatite in both cell and tissue models. Sci. Rep. 2018, 8:17360.
  5. Walker, J. M., Marzec, B., Nudelman, F. Solid-state transformation of amorphous calcium carbonate to aragonite captured by cryoTEM. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2017, 56, 11740-11743.
  6. Mei, L. M., Nudelman, F., Marzec, B., Walker, J. M., Lo, E. C. M., Walls, A. W. and Chu, C. H. Formation of fluorohydroxyapatite with silver diamine fluoride. J. Dental. Res. 2017, 96, 1122-1128.
  7. Nudelman, F. Nacre biomineralisation: A review on the mechanisms of crystal nucleation. Sem. Cell. Dev. Biol. 2015, 46, 2-10.
  8. Nudelman, F., Sommerdijk, N. A. J. M. Biomineralization as inspiration for materials chemistry. Angew. Chem (2012), 51, 6582-6596.
  9. Nudelman, F., de With, G., Sommerdijk, N. A. J. M. Cryo-electron tomography: 3-dimensional imaging of soft matter. Soft Matter (2011), 7, 17-24.
  10. Nudelman, F., Pieterse, K.,  George, A., Bomans, P. H. H., Friedrich, H.,  Brylka, L. J., Hilbers, P. A. J., de With, G., Sommerdijk, N. A. J. M. The role of collagen in bone apatite formation in the presence of hydroxyapatite nucleation inhibitors. Nature Materials (2010), 9, 1004-1009.