PostDoctoral Experience

Postdoctoral Associate May 2009-Current.

Research Supervisor: Prof. David Walt

Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts.

Postdoctoral Associate, January-April 2009.

Research Supervisor: Prof. Pavel Anzenbacher

Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio.

Education

Doctor of Philosophy, Photochemical Sciences, 2008.

Dissertation title: Materials and Strategies in Optical Chemical Sensing.

Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio.

Bachelor of Science, Licenciado in Chemical Sciences, 2004.

Thesis titled: Photochemistry of Mo(VI) dioxo-complexes for Photo-activated Therapy.

Universidad Simón Bolívar, Caracas, Venezuela.

Research Interests

My current focus is on molecular recognition and the development of new photonic (nano)materials incorporating moieties for chemical and biological sensing and development of diagnostic tools for early detection of disease. Generally speaking, my research interests involve the utilization of light as source of energy and its interaction with physical and chemical systems.

Awards And Honors

•McMaster Academic Fellowship, 2005.

•Katzner Graduate Student Professional Development Award, 2005.

•Outstanding International Student Award (BGSU, Graduate Student Senate), 2006.

•Best Poster Presentation Award, International Symposium of Macrocyclic and Supramolecular Chemistry, Victoria, Canada, 2006.

•McMaster Outstanding Research Fellow of Distinction Fellowship, 2006-2008.

•Outstanding Research Assistant Award (BGSU, Graduate Student Senate), 2007.

•Finalist of the Charles E. Shanklin Awards for Research Excellence (BGSU, Graduate College), 2007.

•Sigma XI Outstanding Research (Sigma XI Scientific Research Society), 2008.

Affiliations/Memberships

•American Chemical Society, 2004.

•Material Research Society, 2006.

•International Society of Optical Engineering SPIE, 2006.

Publications

1.Anzenbacher, P., Jr.; Palacios, M. A.: Polymer nanofibre junctions of attolitre volume serve as zeptomole-scale chemical reactors, Nature Chem. 2009, 1, 80-86.

2.Victor A. Montes, Evgeny Danilov, Grigory V. Zyryanov, Neeraj Agarwal, Manuel A. Palacios, and Pavel Anzenbacher Jr. Ultrafast Energy Transfer in Oligofluorene-Aluminum Bis(8-hydroxyquinoline) acetylacetone Coordination Polymers, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2009, 131, 1787–1795.

3.Wang, Z.; Palacios, M. A.; Anzenbacher, P., Jr.: Fluorescence Sensor Array for Metal Ion Detection Based on Various Coordination Chemistries: General Performance and Potential Application, Anal. Chem.  2008, 80, 7451–7459.

4.Wang, Z.; Palacios, M. A.; Zyryanov, G.; Anzenbacher, P., Jr.: Harnessing a Ratiometric Fluorescence Output from a Sensor Array, Eu. J. Chem.  2008, 14, 8540-8546.

5.Zyryanov, G.; Palacios, M. A.; Anzenbacher, P., Jr.: Small Molecule Fluorescent Sensors for Detection of TNT Vapor in Air, Org. Lett.  2008, 10, 3681-3684.

6.Palacios, M. A.; Wang, Z.; Montes, V. A.; Zyryanov, G.; Anzenbacher, P., Jr.: Rational Design of a Minimal Size Sensor Array for Metal Ion Detection, J. Am. Chem. Soc.  2008, 130, 10307-10314.

7.Zyryanov, G.; Palacios, M. A.; Anzenbacher, P., Jr.: Rational Design of a Fluorescence Sensor Array for Phosphates in Blood Serum Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.  2007, 46, 7849-7852.

8.Palacios, M. A.; Nishiyabu, R.; Marquez, M.; Anzenbacher, P., Jr.: Supramolecular Chemistry Approach to the Design of High-Resolution Sensor Array for Multi-Anion Detection in Water J. Am. Chem. Soc.  2007, 129, 7538-7544.

9.Palacios, M. A.; Wang, Z.; Montes, V. A.; Zyryanov, G.; Hausch, B. J.; Jursikova, K.; Anzenbacher, P., Jr.: Hydroxyquinolines with extended fluorophores: Arrays for turn-on and ratiometric sensing of cations. Chem. Commun.  2007, 36, 3708-3710.

10.Anzenbacher, P., Jr.; Nishiyabu, R.; Palacios, M. A.: N-confused Calix[4]pyrrole, . Coord. Chem. Rev. 2006, 250, 2929-2938.

11.Nishiyabu, R.; Palacios, M. A.; Dahaen, W.; Anzenbacher, P., Jr.: Synthesis, Structure, Anion Binding and Sensing by Calix[4]pyrrole Isomers, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 11496-11504.

12.Anzenbacher, P., Jr.; Palacios, M. A.; Jursikova, K.; Marquez, M.: Simple Electrooptical Sensors for Inorganic Anions. Org. Lett. 2005, 22, 5027-5030.

13.Aldakov, D.; Palacios, M. A.; Anzenbacher, Jr., P.: Benzothiadiazoles and Dipyrrolyl Quinoxalines with Extended Conjugated Chromophores – Fluorophores and Anion Sensors. Chem. Mater. 2005, 17, 5238-5241.

Highlights and Other Coverage

•Nature, 458(7236), 294, 2009. News and View: Chemistry: Thinking outside the flask, by Stephen Davey

•The New York Times, March 10th p. D3, 2009: Observatory: With Fibers, Chemical Reactions on a Tiny Scale, by Henry Fountain.

•Chemical and Engineering News, 87(10), 6, 2009. News: Polymer crossroads act as tiny reactors, by Nina Notman.

•Chemistry World, March 8th, 2009. Latest News: Miniaturization: Attoreactors From Nanofibers, by Rachel Petkewich.

•MIT Technology Review, March 10th, Materials News: Nanofibers Power Attoscale Chemistry, by Katherine Bourzac. http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/22264/

•Nature Chemistry, 1(1), 28, 2009. News and Views, Miniaturization: Chemistry at the crossroads, by Andrew J. deMello & Robert C. R. Wootton. DOI:10.1038/nchem.156

•Nature Chemistry, Research Highlights, Metal ion detection: A sensor with discerning taste, by Neil Withers, DOI:10.1038/nchem.40

•Analytical Chemistry, 79(19), 7238, 2007. Material World: Capturing anions from complex samples, by Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay.

•Chemical Technology, 7, 2007. Sensor arrays for cations, by Sarah Corcoran.

Not Peer-Reviewed Publications

•Palacios, Manuel A.; Pohl, Radek; Zyryanov, Grigory; Anzenbacher, Pavel Jr.: Anion Sensors in Polyurethane Matrices: Synergy Between Matrix and Sensor Material Improves Selectivity of the Sensing Process Polymeric Materials: Science and Engineering (PMSE) Preprints, 2007, 96, 595-596.

•Palacios, Manuel A.; Anzenbacher, Pavel Jr.: A New Generation of Optical Sensor Materials Spectrum, 2005, 18, 18-20.

Presentations & Symposia Highlights

•Palacios, M. A.; Anzenbacher, P., Jr.: Supramolecular Chemistry Design of High-Resolution Sensor Array for Anion Detection in Water. International Symposium of Macrocyclic and Supramolecular Chemistry: Las Vegas, Nevada, 2008.

•Palacios, M. A.; Wang, Z.; Anzenbacher, P., Jr.: Rational Design of Minimal Size Sensor Array for Metal Ion Detection. International Symposium of Macrocyclic and Supramolecular Chemistry: Las Vegas, Nevada, 2008.

•Palacios, M. A.; Anzenbacher, P., Jr.: Minimal Size High-Resolution Sensor Array for Multi-Anion Detection in Water. American Chemical Society Meeting: New Orleans LA, 2008.

•Palacios, M. A.; Anzenbacher, P., Jr.: Making Smart Arrays: Minimal Size High-Resolution Optical Sensors Array. Invited Lecture. Center for Photochemical Sciences Advisory Board Meeting: Bowling Green, OH, 2007.

•Palacios, M. A.; Anzenbacher, P., Jr.: Multi-anion Analysis in Consumer Products: from Multi-Electrolytes to Toothpaste. American Chemical Society Meeting: Boston MA, 2007.

•Palacios, M. A.; Pohl, R.; Zyryanov, G.V.; Anzenbacher, P., Jr.: Anion Sensors in Polyurethane Matrices: Synergy Between Matrix and Sensor Materials Improves Selectivity of the Sensing Process. American Chemical Society Meeting: Chicago IL, 2007.

•Palacios, M. A.; Nishiyabu, R.; Anzenbacher, P., Jr.: Sensing of Aqueous Anions with Calix[4]pyrrole Isomers. American Chemical Society Meeting: Chicago IL, 2007.

•Palacios, M. A.; Nishiyabu, R.; Marquez, M.; Anzenbacher, P., Jr.: Sensing of Aqueous Anions with   Calix[4]pyrrole Isomers. International Symposium of Macrocyclic and Supramolecular Chemistry: Victoria, Canada, 2006.

•Palacios, M. A.; Pohl, R.; Zyryanov, G.V.; Anzenbacher, P., Jr.: Investigation of the synergy between anion optical-probes and polyurethane matrices. Towards a more selective sensing process in aqueous solution. Material Research Society Spring Meeting: San Francisco, CA, 2006.

•Palacios, M. A.; Anzenbacher, P., Jr.; Jursikova, K.; Marquez, M.: Simple Electrooptical Sensors for Inorganic Anions. American Chemical Society Meeting: Washington DC, 2005.

Experience

•Design and development of sensing platforms to carry out quantification and/or classification of ions in solution. The design of experiments (DOE) included selection of molecular probes with specific recognition chemistries, combinatorial assessment of materials, instrumentation and data analysis.

•Spectroscopical and structural characterization of photonic materials by micro and nanoscopic analysis including: Absorption and luminescence spectroscopy, NMR, SEM, fluorescence microscopy, confocal LSM, fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy FLIM, FRET microscopy.

•Preparation of nanocomposite materials by electrospinning for chemical sensing, photonic application and for the study of chemical reactions confined into femto- and attoliter volumes.

•Combinatorial and high-throughput formulation of materials for ion sensing.

•Evaluation and interpretation of large data sets with multivariate analysis and pattern recognition techniques, such as: principal component analysis, linear discriminant analysis, artificial neural networks and support vectors machine.

•Quantum chemistry calculations at ab-initio and DFT level of theory in order to evaluate binding interactions. Implementation of time dependant protocols for the evaluation of plausible signal transduction mechanisms.

•Electrochemical and electro analytical characterization of organic compounds in organic media using voltammetric techniques, such as: cyclic, square wave, and differential pulse voltammetry.

•Synthesis of organic and inorganic compounds: Synthesis of 2,3-Dipyrrolyl-quinoxaline derivatives and synthesis of dioxo-Mo(VI) derivatives.

Teaching Experience

•T.A. for General Chemistry Lab (Universidad Simón Bolívar), 1997.

•T.A. for Computational Chemistry Lab USB, 1998.

•T.A. for Organic Chemistry Lab USB, 1999.

•T.A. for Organic Chemistry (Recitation Sessions) BGSU, 2004-2005.

Languages

•   SpanishNative

•   EnglishFluent