2025 workshop on “Biohybrid Systems: From Fundamental Understanding to Applications”

Biohybrid systems where enzymes are integrated with artificial materials, have been extensively explored to deepen our understanding of enzymatic function and to enhance their compatibility for practical applications. These systems incorporate a wide range of enzymes, including natural, artificial, engineered, chimeric, and de novo enzymes, and are coupled with diverse artificial materials such as electrodes, photosensitizers, synthetic catalytic systems, hydrogels, liposomes, and nanoparticles. Applications span across sensing, energy conversion, and electrosynthesis.

As the field matures, research has increasingly focused on elucidating the biotic-abiotic interface, with a particular emphasis on energy and electron transfer mechanisms. This workshop will focus on the latest advancements in electrochemical, spectroscopic, and modeling tools that provide mechanistic insights into these interactions. Additionally, we will explore novel strategies for designing and constructing biohybrid systems.

Key Topics:

• Enzymes specifically engineered for biohybrid applications.
• Strategies for wiring multi-enzyme systems to enable efficient electron transfer.
• Replacement of natural cofactors (NAD(P)H, ATP) with artificial systems.
• Understanding confinement effects on multienzyme reactions in controlled environments.
• Development of chimeric systems to investigate reaction mechanisms or combine desirable enzymatic features.
• Biohybrid light-driven systems for harvesting energy and extracting electrons.
• Encapsulation and protective matrices to enhance the robustness of fragile enzymes.

This workshop will provide a platform for discussing cutting-edge approaches in biohybrid catalysis, fostering collaborations, and shaping the future of enzyme-based technologies.