Evolvable Process Design (EPD)
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Glasgow
Department Name: School of Chemistry
Abstract
The aim of this research lies in the design and manufacture of an Evolvable Process Design (EPD) reactor platform such that 'evolved' chemical reactions can be investigated for the first time. This will be achieved by developing a novel engineering approach to the design and construction of a chemical reactor system that combines three crucial elements: (1) a chemical process system, (2) a feedback / GA-managed control system, and (3) chemical building blocks that can reversibly bind together. The development of this system will allow the selection of a chemical system that has the correct properties to allow evolution (i.e. ability to mate, produce off- spring, and live or die depending on the fitness landscape applied to the system). By combining these key three elements the EPD-system aims to utilise feedback and selection mechanisms based on spectroscopic properties of the system / molecules / materials being evolved. These reactors will be designed to examine chemical evolution, the proof of principle that this approach is viable and then the eventual extension to three key example areas including drug design, catalysis discovery and new materials discovery. This approach is of great relevance to the process industries since, by adopting an evolvable approach to the new molecules/material once the system identifies the route to climb the fitness landscape, the optimal process will be discovered at the same time. In other words, once you have your product you have your process . This will result in an order of magnitude change in the time-to-market of new products. The system will be designed to be intrinsically scaleable and continuous, meaning that scale of production will not be an issue. In addition to the process industries, reactor-based chemical evolution, has the potential to initiate a career study to simulate, or re-create, the fundamental chemical processes that are related to the emergence of life and complexity in chemistry.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
Leroy Cronin (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
VilĂ -Nadal L
(2012)
Exploring the rotational isomerism in non-classical Wells-Dawson anions {W18X}: a combined theoretical and mass spectrometry study.
in Dalton transactions (Cambridge, England : 2003)
Kato C
(2013)
Quick and selective synthesis of Li6[a-P2W18O62]·28H2O soluble in various organic solvents.
in Dalton transactions (Cambridge, England : 2003)
Georgiev V
(2014)
Optimization and Evaluation of Variability in the Programming Window of a Flash Cell With Molecular Metal-Oxide Storage
in IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices
Miras HN
(2011)
Exploring the structure and properties of transition metal templated {VM17(VO4)2} Dawson-like capsules.
in Inorganic chemistry
Cui F
(2012)
Anion-dependent formation of helicates versus mesocates of triple-stranded M2L3 (M = Fe2+, Cu2+) complexes.
in Inorganic chemistry
Ruiz De La Oliva A
(2017)
Coding the Assembly of Polyoxotungstates with a Programmable Reaction System.
in Inorganic chemistry
Symes M
(2011)
The Crystal Computer - Computing with Inorganic Cellular Frameworks and Nets
in International Journal of Nanotechnology and Molecular Computation
Zang H
(2012)
Assembly and autochirogenesis of a chiral inorganic polythioanion Möbius strip via symmetry breaking.
in Journal of the American Chemical Society
Miras HN
(2012)
Solution-phase monitoring of the structural evolution of a Molybdenum Blue nanoring.
in Journal of the American Chemical Society
Belowich ME
(2012)
Positive cooperativity in the template-directed synthesis of monodisperse macromolecules.
in Journal of the American Chemical Society
Description | These reactors have been designed to examine chemical evolution, the proof of principle that this approach is viable and then the eventual extension to three key example areas including drug design, catalysis discovery and new materials discovery. |
Exploitation Route | This approach is of great relevance to the process industries since, by adopting an evolvable approach to the new molecules/material once the system identifies the route to climb the fitness landscape, the optimal process will be discovered at the same time. |
Sectors | Chemicals,Electronics,Energy,Healthcare,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
Description | These findings have been used for the evolution of more complex organic and inorganic materials |