On 27 November, Prof. Xu HOU from Xiamen University, was invited to give a talk entitled ” Bio-inspired Multi-Scale Pores and Channels “. At the seminar, Prof. Hou introduced bioinspired and smart multiscale pore/channel systems. Ion channels existed in living organisms play a significant role in maintaining balanced physiological conditions and serve as “smart” gates to ensure selective ionic transport. Inspired by ion channels, various smart artificial nanochannel systems have been developed. Pore and channels are everywhere on different scales, ranging from biological ion channels to large oil pipelines. Stimulated by the achievements and the even larger potential of multiscale pores and channels systems, increasing research activities are devoted to important aspects such as energy saving, anti-fouling, anti-corrosion, and anti-blocking functionalities, switch ability and controllability integration of various functionalities, and good stability in such confined space.
Prof. Xu HOU obtained BSc degree in biomedical engineering from Sichuan University in 2006. He then moved to Beijing and finished his PhD research on Physical Chemistry under the supervision of Prof. Lei Jiang at National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, China in 2011. He conducted his postdoctoral research in bioinspired systems with Prof. Joanna Aizenberg at Harvard University in Boston, USA from 2012. In 2015, Dr. Hou returned to China, and started his independent research at Xiamen University. His bio-inspired porous systems bring a new generation of material design ideas for biological sensing, chemical detection, and membrane separation etc. He has published 2 Academic Books and more than 55 research papers, such as Nature, Nat. Rev. Mater., Sci. Adv., etc. Prof. Hou has received many academic awards including: 2018 Chinese Chemical Society Award for Outstanding Young Chemist, China; 2014 SciFinder Future Leaders in Chemistry Program, USA; 2014 Harvard University Postdoctoral Awards for Professional Development, USA; 2013 Springer Theses Prize; 2011 First Prize of the 9th “Colloid Awards of China”, etc. In 2019, he was selected into the Periodic Table of Younger Chemists of International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, representing the 100th element ‘Fermium’.
