» Asefa Research Group » Curriculum Vitae » Autobiosketch		Tewodros (Teddy) Asefa Visiting Associate Professor Materials chemistry; nanoscience and nanotechnology; inorganic chemistry; nanobiomaterials tasefa@syr.edu phone: 315-443-3360 / fax: 315-443-4070 Office: CST 1-048 Education: • B.Sc., 1992, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia • M.Sc., 1996-1998, University of Delaware and   the State University of New York at Buffalo • Ph.D., 2002, University of Toronto • Postdoctoral Fellow, 2002-2003, University of Toronto • Postdoctoral Fellow, 2003-2005, McGill University Honors & Awards: • Fulbright Fellow, 1996-1998 • University of Toronto Open Fellowships, 1999-2002 • Miller Fellowship Nominee, University of California at Berkeley, 2002 • NSF CAREER Award, 2007-2012 Courses: • CHE 103: Chemistry in the Modern World (Non-Science Majors) • CHE 116: General Chemistry Lecture, Part II • CHE 117: General Chemistry Laboratory, Part II • CHE 129: Honors General Chemistry, Part I • CHE 600: Nanoscience & Nanotechnology / Materials Chemistry (Modular Graduate Course) • New General Chemistry Tutorial Program - Launched • Outreach Activities

Research Interests The primary research activities in my group focus on the design, synthesis, and self-assembly of novel inorganic and organic-inorganic hybrid nanostructured and nanoporous materials and nanobiomaterials. Our materials are typically chosen to have multifunctional groups as well as novel structures at the nanometer scale. Uncovering the structure-property relationships as well as the potential applications of these materials for catalysis, nanoelectronics, separations, and sensing is also part of our research program. Specific areas of interest: (1) Nanoparticles and core-shell nanoparticles with novel structures and multifunctional groups: The properties of nanomaterials whose sizes are only a few billionths of a meter have unique properties that are neither bulk nor molecular and can be tuned via the size, shape, and structure of the materials. We are interested in the synthesis and self-assembly of inorganic and composite nanoparticles and core-shell nanoparticles having novel structures. By introducing multifunctional organic, organometallic, or biological groups into such nanostructured materials, we can create new classes of nanomaterials with unprecedented and potentially useful properties for nanoelectronics, sensing, biological imaging, and targeted drug delivery.
(2) Nanoporous and mesoporous nanowire materials: The bottom-up synthesis of nanostructured and mesoporous materials using templates can create various new classes of nanomaterials. Our research in this area focuses on the combination of "hard templates" with "self-assembly" to produce nanowires and nanorods having nanoporous and mesoporous structures and frameworks. We will also investigate the potential of these materials for host-guest inclusion and for separation of various biological and chemical species for environmental remediation purposes. (3) Multifunctional self-assembled monolayers: Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on various substrates have potential for several technological applications. Our research deals with the synthesis of multifunctional SAM structures using functionalized organosilanes and alkane thiols. We are interested in the fundamental self-assembly studies of these multifunctional molecules on various substrates as well as the potential of such SAM structures for nanopatterning of molecular electronic devices and for catalysis and sensing applications.	Multifunctional nanostructured materials
Invited Book Chapters Asefa, T.*; Sharma, K. K.; Anan, A.; Vathyam, R.; Buckley, R. P.; Dam, H. M.; Xie, Y.; Quinlivan, S.; Wang, G.; Duncan, C. "Efficient and Selective Nanoporous Catalysts by Placing Multiple Site-Isolated Functional Groups on Mesoporous Materials" invited chapter In "Nanoporous Materials" (A. Sayari and M. Jaroniec, eds.), World Scientific Publ. Co., Singapore, 2008, pp. 497-508. Asefa, T.*; Anan, A.; Duncan, C. T.; Xie, Y. "Spherical & Anisotropic Non-Magnetic Core-shell Nanomaterials - Synthesis and Characterization" Invited Chapter in a Book "Non Magnetic Bi-Metallic and Metal Oxide Nanomaterials for Life Sciences", Editor: Challa S. S. R. Kumar, Wiley-VCH, Volume 3, Chapter 9, 2009, pp. 281-330. Asefa, T.*; Anan, A.; Duncan, C. T.; Xie, Y. "Functionalized Nanoporous and Mesoporous Heterogeneous Catalysts - New Synthetic Strategies and Applications" Invited Chapter in a Book "Heterogeneous Catalysis Research Progress", Editor: Mathias B. Gunther, Nova Publishers, New York, Chapter 2, 2009, pp. 81-110. Patents Inventors: T. Asefa and G. A. Ozin "Functionalized organometallic crystalline mesoporous material prepared by metalation-condensation of organometallic compounds", US Patent US 6,960,551, Licenced to ExxonMobil. Inventors: W. Whitnal, T. Asefa, G. A. Ozin "Hybrid Organic-Inorganic Mesoporous Materials", US Patent, 2008/0193734 A1 (2008). Inventors: Asefa, T.*, Sharma, K. K., Anan, A. "Efficient and selective Multifunctional Nanocatalysts by Solvent-Assisted Grafting of Organofunctional Goups on Nanoporous Materials" US Patent, 2009/0043134 A1 (2009), 134 pp. CODEN: USXXCO US 2009043134. Inventors: Asefa, T.*, Shi, Y.-L "Corrugated and Hollow Metal Oxide and Metal/Metal-Oxide Core-Shell Microparticles by Controlled Etching" Patent filed at Syracuse University, 2008. Inventors: Asefa, T.*, Mishler R.; Schiff, E. A.* "Synthetic Methods for Mesostructured and Nanoporous Materials and for Solid Acid Nanocatalysts in One-Pot by Using Phosphonated Triblock Copolymer Templates" Patent filed at Syracuse University, 2009. Selected Publications Biradar, A. A.; Biradar, A. V.; Asefa, T.* "Immobilization of Flavin-Containing Monooxygenase on Corrugated Silica Nanospheres and their Biocatalytic Activities" 2009, Submitted. Wang, Y.; Biradar, A. V.; Duncan, C. T.; Asefa, T.* "Encapsulating Silica Nanosphere-Supported Shaped Pd Nanoparticles with Nanoporous Silica Shell: Efficient Hydrogenation and C-C Coupling Nanocatalysts" 2009, Submitted. Wang, Y.; Asefa, T.* "Poly(allylamine)-Stabilized Colloidal Copper Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Morphology, and their Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering Properties" 2009, Submitted. Biradar, A. V.; Sharma, K. K.; Asefa, T.* "Continuous and Selective Henry Reaction over Nanoporous Silica Supported-Amine Catalyst on Fixed Bed Reactor" 2009, Submitted. Vathyam, R.; Wang, G.; Zhang, C.; Tao, Z., Asefa, T.* "Mesoporous Silica-Dendrimer Nanospheres for Adsorption and Release of Multiple Drugs" 2009, Submitted. Mishler, R. E.; Schiff, E. A.*; Asefa, T.* "Dye Sensitized Solar Cells from Solvent-Washable Mesoporous Titania: Synthesis and their Optoelectronic Properties" 2009, In Preparation. Duncan, C. T.; Mishler, R. E.; Asefa, T.* "Widening, Exfoliation and Functionalization of Metal Oxide Nanostructures with Fluorinating Agent: A Route to Tuning Surfaces of Nanostructures" 2009, Submitted. Sharma, K. K.; Biradar, A.; Asefa, T.* "Tandem Reactions of Sonogashira and Henry Coupling with Nanoporous Heterogeneous Catalysts" 2009, In Preparation. Tao, Z.; Xie, Y.; Goodisman, J.;* Asefa, T.* "Isomer-Dependent Adsorption and Release of Cis- and Trans-platin Anticancer Drugs by Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles" 2009, Submitted. Tao, Z.; Toms, B. B.; Goodisman, J.;* Asefa, T.* "Enhancing Cytotoxicity of Platinum Anticancer Drugs by Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles" 2009, Submitted. Sharma, K. K.; Biradar, A.; Asefa, T.* "Substituent- and Catalyst-Dependent Selectivity to Aldol and Nitrostyrene Product in Heterogeneous Base Nanocatalysis" ChemCatChem, 2009, In Press. Tao, Z.; Xie, Y.; Toms, B. B.; Goodisman, J.; Asefa, T.* "Mesoporosity and Functional Group Dependent Cytotoxicity of Silica Nanomaterials" Chem. Res. Toxicol., 2009, In Press, DOI: 10.1021/tx900276u. Wang, Y.; Biradar, A. V.; Wang, G.; Shrama, K. K.; Asefa, T.* "Controlled Synthesis of Cuboctahedral Copper Nanoparticles in Aqueous Phase and their Catalytic Properties" J. Phys. Chem. C, 2009, In Press. Mishler, R. E.; Schiff, E. A.*; Asefa, T.* "Solvent-Washable Polymer Templated Synthesis of Mesoporous Silica and Solid Acid Nanocatalysts in One-Pot" Chem. Commun., 2009, 6201. Asefa, T.*, Duncan, C. T.; Sharma, K. K. Invited Review "Recent Advances in Nanostructured Sensors and Biosensors" Analyst, 2009, 134, 1980-1990. (The Top Most Accessed Article in September and October, 2009). Tao, Z.; Wang, G.; Goodisman, J, Asefa, T.* "Accelerated Oxidation of Epinephrine by Silica Nanomaterials" 2009, Langmuir, 25, 10183-10188. Asefa, T.* Invited Commentary Paper on "Entrapping Cinchona Alkaloids within Metals: Chirally Imprinted Palladium by Rothenberg et al. Nature Chemistry, 2009", Chemtracts, 2009, In Press. Duncan, C. T.; Fleitsch, S.; Asefa, T.* "Efficient Nanoporous Silica-Supported Zn-Tropone Heterogeneous Catalyst for Intramolecular Hydroamination Reaction" ChemCatChem, 2009, 1, 365-368. DiPasqua, A. J.; Shi, Y.-L.; Mishler, R. E.; Dabrowiak, J. D. *; Asefa, T.* "Antibody-Conjugated Gold Nanoparticles and Sensors for Detection of Waterborne Pathogens" Mater. Lett., 2009, 63, 1876-1879. Wang, G.; Otuonye, A.; Blair, E. A.; Denton, K.; Tao, Z.; Asefa, T.* "Functionalized Mesoporous Materials with Improved Adsorption Capacity and Release Properties for Different Drug Molecules: A Comparative Study" J. Solid State Chem., 2009, 182, 1649-1660. Xie, Y.; Sharma, K. K.; Anan, A.; Wang, G.; Biradar, A. V.; Asefa, T.* "Efficient Nanostructured Catalysts for Aldol Condensation Reaction" J. Catal., 2009, 265, 131-140. Asefa, T.*; Wang, G.; Blair, E. A.; Otuonye, A., Denton, K. "Multifunctional Nanoporous Materials for Adsorption and Controlled Drug Release" Adsorption, 2009, 15, 287-299. Sharma, K. K.; Buckley, R. P.; Asefa, T.* "Optimizing Cooperative Acid-Base Bifunctional Mesoporous Catalysts for the Henry Reaction: Effects of Separation Distance of Site-Isolated Groups on Cooperative Catalysis" Langmuir, 2008, 24, 14306-14320. Asefa, T. "Book Review of Bio-inorganic Hybrid Nanomaterials: Strategies, Synthesis, Characterization and Applications" J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2008, 130, 8871-8871. Asefa, T.*, Shi, Y.-L. "Corrugated Nanospheres and Nanocages: Synthesis via Controlled Etching and Improving Chemical Delivery and Electrochemical and Biosensing Applications" J. Mater. Chem., 2008, 18, 5604-5614. Anan, A.; Vathyam, R.; Asefa, T.* "Controlling the Henry Reaction Products: Nitroalcohol versus Nitrostyrene by Simple Change of Amino-Groups of Aminofunctionalized Mesoporous Catalysts" Catal. Lett. 2008, 126, 142-148. Xie, Y.; Quinlivan, S.; Asefa, T.* "Tuning Metal Nanostructures within SBA-15 by Changing Metal Complexes Reduced In-situ with Grafted Imines and Hemiaminals" J. Phys. Chem. C., 2008, 112, 9996-10003. Tao, Z.; Morrow, M. P.; Sharma, K. K.; Duncan, C.; Anan, A.; Asefa, T.; Penefsky, H. S.; Goodisman, J.*, Kader, A.* "Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles Inhibit Cellular Respiration" Nano Lett., 2008, 8, 1517-1526. Anan, A.; Sharma, K. K.; Asefa, T.* "Selective Efficient Trifunctional Nanoporous Catalysts for Nitroaldol Condensation: Co-Placement of Site-Isolated Multiple Functional Groups on Mesoporous Materials" J. Mol. Catal. A: Chem. 2008, 288, 1-13. (Chosen as an Editor’s Choice Article). Sharma, K. K.; Anan, A.; Buckley, R. P.; Ouellette, W.; Asefa, T.* "Towards Efficient Nanoporous Catalysts: Controlling Site-Isolation and Concentration of Grafted Catalytic Sites on Nanoporous Materials with Solvents and Colorimetric Elucidation of their Site-Isolation" J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2008, 130, 218-228. Di Pasqua, A. J.; Sharma, K. K.; Shi, Y.-L.; Toms, B. B.; Ouellette, W.; Dabrowiak, J. C.*, Asefa, T.* "Cytotoxicity of mesoporous silica nanomaterials" J. Inorg. Biochem., 2008, 102, 1416-1423. Otuonye, A.; Asefa, T.* "Efficient and Selective Nanoscale Catalysts by Solvent-Assisted Site-Isolated Grafting (SASIG) of Multiple Functional Groups on Mesoporous Materials" Chemtracts, 2007, 20, 85-93. Sharma, K. K.; Asefa, T.* "Efficient bifunctional nanocatalysts by simple postgrafting of spatially-isolated catalytic groups on mesoporous materials" Angew. Chem., Int. Ed., 2007, 46, 2879-2882 (Cited 25 times to date). Shi, Y.-L.; Asefa, T.* "Tailored core-shell-shell nanostructures: Sandwiching gold nanoparticles between silica cores and tunable silica shells" Langmuir, 2007, 23, 9455-9462. (Among the Top Ten Most Accessed Articles in 2007 and Cited 14 times to date). Asefa, T.*; Shi, Y.-L. "Super-stable high-quality Fe3O4 dendron-nanocrystals dispersible in both organic and aqueous solutions" Chemtracts, 2006, 19, 299-305. Asefa, T.; Lennox, R. B. "Synthesis of gold nanoparticles via electroless deposition in SBA-15." Chem. Mater., 2005, 17, 2481-2483. Asefa, T.; Kruk, M.; Coombs, N.; Grondey, H.; MacLachlan, M. J.; Jaroniec, M.; Ozin, G. A. "Novel routes to periodic mesoporous aminosilcas (PMAs): ammonolysis of periodic mesoporous organosilicas" J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2003, 125, 11662-11673. Asefa, T.; Kruk, M.; MacLachlan, M. J.; Coombs, N.; Grondey, H.; Jaroniec, M.; Ozin, G. A. "Novel bifunctional periodic mesoporous organosilicas, BPMOs: Synthesis, characterization, properties and in-situ selective hydroboration-alcoholysis reactions of functional groups" J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2001, 123, 8520-8530. (Cited over 155 times) Asefa, T.; Kruk, M.; MacLachln, M.J.; Coombs, N.; Grondey, H.; Jaroniec, M.; Ozin, G. A. "Sequential hydroboration-alcoholysis and epoxidation-ring opening reactions of vinyl groups in mesoporous vinylsilica" Adv. Funct. Mater. 2001, 11, 447-456. Asefa, T.; MacLachlan, M. J.; Grondey, H.; Coombs, N.; Ozin, G. A. "Metamorphic channels in periodic mesoporous methylenesilica" Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2000, 39, 1808-1811. (Cited over 242 times to date) Asefa, T.; MacLachlan, M. J.; Coombs, N.; Ozin, G. A. "Periodic mesoporous organosilicas with organic groups inside the channel walls." Nature 1999, 402(6764), 867-871. (Cited over 710 times and Featured in C&EN News in 2000). » View all Publications