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Ester Vázquez
Born
Ester Vázquez Fernández-Pacheco

1973
Ciudad Real (Spain)
NationalitySpanish
Alma materUniversity of Castilla-La Mancha
Scientific career
FieldsGraphene, sustainable chemistry, soft materials
InstitutionsUniversity of Castilla-La Mancha, University of Zaragoza, Karolinska Institute, University of Trieste
ThesisAplicación de irradiación microondas y catálisis ácida heterogénea en química orgánica medioambiental. Síntesis y reactividad de heterociclos (2000)
Doctoral advisorAndrés Moreno Moreno, Antonio de la Hoz Ayuso
Websitehttp://www.msocnanochemistrygroup.com/

Ester Vázquez Fernández-Pacheco (born 1973) is an expert in carbon nanostructures and sustainable synthesis. She is a full professor at the University of Castilla la Mancha and a group leader at the MSOC Nanochemistry group.[1]

Biography

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Ester Vázquez Fernández-Pacheco obtained her PhD degree from the University of Castilla-la Mancha in 2000. Her PhD studies covered the applications of microwave irradiation in catalysis,[2] synthesis,[3] and sustainable chemistry.[4] She also spent a few months at the University of Zaragoza (Spain), where she studied the uses of silica-supported Lewis acids for catalysis;[5] and later at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm (Sweden), where she worked on the application of microwaves to prepare radiolabelling tracers for positron emission tomography.[6] After finishing her PhD, she carried out her postdoctoral training at the University of Trieste (Italy) working on biological applications of fullerenes[7][8] and carbon nanotubes[9][10] in the group of Maurizio Prato. She then returned to her alma mater, where she was promoted to Associate Professor in 2010,[11] and then Full Professor in 2019.[12]

Research

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Her current research focuses on the functionalization and purification of carbon nanostructures,[13] including graphene,[14] using green protocols. She has applied innovative methodologies, such as ball-milling, to prepare green graphene by mixing graphite and sugar crystals.[15] Usually, graphene is produced by exfoliating graphite in solvents, but this alternative does not need toxic chemicals, thus facilitating new biomedical and agricultural applications for graphene.[16] Her research group is currently collaborating with multinational manufacturers such as Grupo Antolin to scale up the production of green graphene with mechanochemical methods.[17]

Interested in medical technologies, Vázquez recently shifted her focus towards soft materials for artificial tissues,[18] some of which showcase self-healing properties.[19] She is also studying the possibilities of carbon-based materials and soft-materials to build robots that respond to external stimuli such as changes in concentration[20] or electric fields.[21] These robots could find applications in assisted industrial manipulation, rehabilitation, and medical technologies.[22]

Furthermore, Ester Vázquez is part of the Graphene Flagship, one of the largest research projects ever funded by the European Commission.[23] She is an active member of the Work Package for Health and Environment since the beginning of the project in 2013.[22] Within this group of researchers, she studies the toxicity and potential harmful effects of graphene and two-dimensional materials, evaluating the effects on skin irritation,[24] communication between cells,[25] and oral ingestion,[26] among others. Moreover, she co-authoured a safety-assessment study of the impact of graphene and related materials in both human health and the environment.[27] The paper, which reviewed the interactions between graphene with key organs and organisms, including bacteria, algae, plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates in various ecosystems, concluded graphene and graphene-based materials are less toxic than carbon nanotubes.[28] Her research also shows that human white cells can biodegrade single and few-layer graphene thanks to myeloperoxidase enzymes.[29]

She has published over 150 peer-reviewed scientific papers[30] and co-authored 5 patents.[31]

Awards

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In 2009, Ester Vázquez received the Prize «Ibn Wafid de Toledo»[32] for young researchers,[33] awarded by the Government of Castilla-La Mancha (Spain).[34]

References

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  1. ^ "Nanochemistry Group UCLM". Nanochemistry Group UCLM. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  2. ^ Díaz-Ortiz, Ángel; Prieto, Pilar; Vázquez, Ester (1997-03-01). "Heck Reactions under Microwave Irradiation in Solvent-Free Conditions". Synlett. 1997 (3): 269–270. doi:10.1055/s-1997-774. ISSN 0936-5214. S2CID 196745127.
  3. ^ de la Hoz, Antonio; Moreno, Andrés; Vázquez, Ester (1999-05-01). "Use of Microwave Irradiation and Solid Acid Catalysts in an Enhanced and Environmentally Friendly Synthesis of Coumarin Derivatives". Synlett. 1999 (5): 608–610. doi:10.1055/s-1999-2674. ISSN 0936-5214. S2CID 196717449.
  4. ^ Vázquez Fernández-Pacheco, Ester (2000). Aplicación de irradiación microondas y catálisis ácida heterogénea en química orgánica medioambiental. Síntesis y reactividad de heterociclos (PDF). Ediciones de la Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha. ISBN 8484271668.
  5. ^ de la Hoz, Antonio; Díaz-Ortiz, Angel; Fraile, José María; Gómez, María Victoria; Mayoral, José Antonio; Moreno, Andrés; Saiz, Alfonso; Vázquez, Ester (2001). "Synergy between Heterogeneous Catalysis and Microwave Irradiation in an Efficient One-Pot Synthesis of Benzene Derivatives via Ring-Opening of Diels-Alder Cycloadducts of Substituted Furans". Synlett. 2001 (6): 0753–0756. doi:10.1055/s-2001-14580. S2CID 196780373.
  6. ^ Vázquez, Ester; de la Hoz, Antonio; Elander, Nils; Moreno, Andrés; Stone-Elander, Sharon. "Microwave-assisted Cyclocondesation under Solvent-free Conditions: Quinoxaline-2,3-dione". Heterocycles. 55: 109–113.
  7. ^ Ros, Tatiana Da; Bergamin, Massimo; Vázquez, Ester; Spalluto, Giampiero; Baiti, Benedetta; Moro, Stefano; Boutorine, Alexandre; Prato, Maurizio (2002). "Synthesis and Molecular Modeling Studies of Fullerene−5,6,7-Trimethoxyindole−Oligonucleotide Conjugates as Possible Probes for Study of Photochemical Reactions in DNA Triple Helices". European Journal of Organic Chemistry. 2002 (3): 405–413. doi:10.1002/1099-0690(20022)2002:3<405::AID-EJOC405>3.0.CO;2-2. ISSN 1099-0690.
  8. ^ Da Ros, Tatiana; Vázquez, Ester; Spalluto, Giampiero; Moro, Stefano; Boutorine, Alexandre; Prato, Maurizio (2002-01-01). "Design, synthesis and biological properties of fulleropyrrolidine derivatives as potential DNA photo-probes". Journal of Supramolecular Chemistry. 2 (1–3): 327–334. doi:10.1016/S1472-7862(03)00089-3.
  9. ^ Georgakilas, Vasilios; Voulgaris, Dimitrios; Vázquez, Ester; Prato, Maurizio; Guldi, Dirk M.; Kukovecz, Akos; Kuzmany, Hans (2002-12-01). "Purification of HiPCO Carbon Nanotubes via Organic Functionalization". Journal of the American Chemical Society. 124 (48): 14318–14319. doi:10.1021/ja0260869. ISSN 0002-7863. PMID 12452701.
  10. ^ Guldi, Dirk M.; Marcaccio, Massimo; Paolucci, Demis; Paolucci, Francesco; Tagmatarchis, Nikos; Tasis, Dimitrios; Vázquez, Ester; Prato, Maurizio (2003-09-15). "Single-Wall Carbon Nanotube–Ferrocene Nanohybrids: Observing Intramolecular Electron Transfer in Functionalized SWNTs". Angewandte Chemie International Edition. 42 (35): 4206–4209. doi:10.1002/anie.200351289. ISSN 1433-7851. PMID 14502737.
  11. ^ "BOE.es - Documento BOE-A-2010-12343". www.boe.es. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  12. ^ "BOE.es - Documento BOE-A-2019-17701". www.boe.es. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  13. ^ Iglesias, Daniel; Atienzar, Pedro; Vázquez, Ester; Herrero, María; García, Hermenegildo (2017-09-25). "Carbon Nanohorns Modified with Conjugated Terthienyl/Terthiophene Structures: Additives to Enhance the Performance of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells". Nanomaterials. 7 (10): 294. doi:10.3390/nano7100294. ISSN 2079-4991. PMC 5666459. PMID 28946677.
  14. ^ León, Verónica; Quintana, Mildred; Herrero, M. Antonia; Fierro, Jose L. G.; Hoz, Antonio de la; Prato, Maurizio; Vázquez, Ester (2011). "Few-layer graphenes from ball-milling of graphite with melamine". Chemical Communications. 47 (39): 10936–10938. doi:10.1039/c1cc14595a. ISSN 1359-7345. PMID 21909539.
  15. ^ González, Viviana Jehová; Rodríguez, Antonio M.; León, Verónica; Frontiñán-Rubio, Javier; Fierro, José Luis G.; Durán-Prado, Mario; Muñoz-García, Ana B.; Pavone, Michele; Vázquez, Ester (2018). "Sweet graphene: exfoliation of graphite and preparation of glucose-graphene cocrystals through mechanochemical treatments". Green Chemistry. 20 (15): 3581–3592. doi:10.1039/C8GC01162A. hdl:10578/18491. ISSN 1463-9262.
  16. ^ Dey, Becky (2018-07-24). "A sweet way to make graphene". Chemistry World. Archived from the original on 2020-08-10. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  17. ^ Mediavilla, Daniel (2018-08-01). "Un poco de azúcar para poder meternos el grafeno en la sangre". El País (in Spanish). ISSN 1134-6582. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  18. ^ Dominguez-Alfaro, Antonio; Alegret, Nuria; Arnaiz, Blanca; González-Domínguez, Jose M.; Martin-Pacheco, Ana; Cossío, Unai; Porcarelli, Luca; Bosi, Susanna; Vázquez, Ester; Mecerreyes, David; Prato, Maurizio (2020-02-10). "Tailored Methodology Based on Vapor Phase Polymerization to Manufacture PEDOT/CNT Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering". ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering. 6 (2): 1269–1278. doi:10.1021/acsbiomaterials.9b01316. hdl:10261/231248. ISSN 2373-9878. PMID 33464834. S2CID 212864973.
  19. ^ Naranjo, Alicia; Martín, Cristina; López-Díaz, Antonio; Martín-Pacheco, Ana; Rodríguez, Antonio M.; Patiño, F. Javier; Herrero, M. Antonia; Vázquez, Andrés S.; Vázquez, Ester (2020-12-01). "Autonomous self-healing hydrogel with anti-drying properties and applications in soft robotics". Applied Materials Today. 21: 100806. doi:10.1016/j.apmt.2020.100806. hdl:10578/25740. S2CID 224958220.
  20. ^ López‐Díaz, Antonio; Martín‐Pacheco, Ana; Rodríguez, Antonio M.; Herrero, M. Antonia; Vázquez, Andrés S.; Vázquez, Ester (2020-11-01). "Concentration Gradient‐Based Soft Robotics: Hydrogels Out of Water". Advanced Functional Materials. 30 (46): 2004417. doi:10.1002/adfm.202004417. hdl:10578/25918. ISSN 1616-301X. S2CID 225288936.
  21. ^ Lopez-Diaz, Antonio; Martin-Pacheco, Ana; Fernandez, Raul; Rodriguez, Antonio M.; Herrero, M. Antonia; Vazquez, Ester; Vazquez, Andres S. (2019-05-01). "A new soft fingertip based on electroactive hydrogels". 2019 International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA). Montreal, QC, Canada: IEEE. pp. 5126–5132. doi:10.1109/ICRA.2019.8794105. hdl:10578/29969. ISBN 978-1-5386-6027-0. S2CID 199542468.
  22. ^ a b "Spotlight: Engineering soft materials for biomedical applications with Ester Vázquez Fernández-Pacheco". Graphene Flagship. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  23. ^ "The Graphene Flagship". Graphene Flagship. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  24. ^ Fusco, Laura; Garrido, Marina; Martín, Cristina; Sosa, Silvio; Ponti, Cristina; Centeno, Alba; Alonso, Beatriz; Zurutuza, Amaia; Vázquez, Ester; Tubaro, Aurelia; Prato, Maurizio (2020). "Skin irritation potential of graphene-based materials using a non-animal test". Nanoscale. 12 (2): 610–622. doi:10.1039/C9NR06815E. hdl:11368/2959130. ISSN 2040-3364. PMID 31829371. S2CID 209328697.
  25. ^ Chiacchiaretta, Martina; Bramini, Mattia; Rocchi, Anna; Armirotti, Andrea; Giordano, Emanuele; Vázquez, Ester; Bandiera, Tiziano; Ferroni, Stefano; Cesca, Fabrizia; Benfenati, Fabio (2018-09-12). "Graphene Oxide Upregulates the Homeostatic Functions of Primary Astrocytes and Modulates Astrocyte-to-Neuron Communication". Nano Letters. 18 (9): 5827–5838. arXiv:1810.10440. Bibcode:2018NanoL..18.5827C. doi:10.1021/acs.nanolett.8b02487. ISSN 1530-6984. PMID 30088941. S2CID 206748983.
  26. ^ Guarnieri, Daniela; Sánchez-Moreno, Paola; Del Rio Castillo, Antonio Esaú; Bonaccorso, Francesco; Gatto, Francesca; Bardi, Giuseppe; Martín, Cristina; Vázquez, Ester; Catelani, Tiziano; Sabella, Stefania; Pompa, Pier Paolo (2018-05-14). "Biotransformation and Biological Interaction of Graphene and Graphene Oxide during Simulated Oral Ingestion". Small. 14 (24): 1800227. arXiv:1903.08929. doi:10.1002/smll.201800227. PMID 29756263. S2CID 21677728.
  27. ^ Fadeel, Bengt; Bussy, Cyrill; Merino, Sonia; Vázquez, Ester; Flahaut, Emmanuel; Mouchet, Florence; Evariste, Lauris; Gauthier, Laury; Koivisto, Antti J.; Vogel, Ulla; Martín, Cristina (2018-11-27). "Safety Assessment of Graphene-Based Materials: Focus on Human Health and the Environment". ACS Nano. 12 (11): 10582–10620. doi:10.1021/acsnano.8b04758. hdl:11368/2934292. ISSN 1936-0851. PMID 30387986. S2CID 53265654.
  28. ^ "Graphene and related materials safety: human health and the environment". Graphene Flagship. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  29. ^ Kurapati, Rajendra; Mukherjee, Sourav P.; Martín, Cristina; Bepete, George; Vázquez, Ester; Pénicaud, Alain; Fadeel, Bengt; Bianco, Alberto (2018-09-03). "Degradation of Single‐Layer and Few‐Layer Graphene by Neutrophil Myeloperoxidase". Angewandte Chemie International Edition. 57 (36): 11722–11727. doi:10.1002/anie.201806906. ISSN 1433-7851. PMID 30006967. S2CID 51626539.
  30. ^ "Ester Vázquez". scholar.google.com. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  31. ^ "Google Patents - Ester Vázquez Fernández-Pacheco". patents.google.com. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  32. ^ Guerra, Javier; Herrero, M. Antonia; Vázquez, Ester (2014). "Carbon nanohorns as alternative gene delivery vectors". RSC Advances. 4 (52): 27315. Bibcode:2014RSCAd...427315G. doi:10.1039/c4ra03251a. hdl:10578/11773. ISSN 2046-2069.
  33. ^ "El secretario de Estado destaca que C-LM "asume sus responsabilidades para con la investigación y para con la educación"". Europa Press. 2009-06-08. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  34. ^ ""LOS GALARDONADOS CON LOS PREMIOS REGIONALES DE INVESTIGACIÓN SON EL EJEMPLO DE QUE EL ESFUERZO QUE HACEMOS EN I+D+I MERECE LA PENA" | Gobierno de Castilla-La Mancha". www.castillalamancha.es. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
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