Research
Enzyme-inspired catalysis, drug nanocarriers for pancreatic cancer, theanostic probes for senescent cells, biopolymer nanocomposites, multifunctional linker systems for nanomaterial (bio)functionalisation.
Nanomaterials: biopolymers and DNA, noble metal, metal oxide and carbon nanodiamonds.
Chemistry: photo triggered chemistry, green catalysis, enationseletive synthesis
Medicine: pancreatic and lung cancer, senescent cells
Physics/Engineering/Devices: Optoelectonic enzyme-inspired devices, biosensors
Environment: water purifcation membranes, green catalysis, alternatives to plastics, nanotoxicology
More information on our group website
Biography
Reader in BioNano Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Universtiy of Cambridge, UK (since 2019)
Lecturer, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, UK (2015-2019)
Group Leader "Photoactivable Nanodevices", DFG-Centre for Functional Nanostructures, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany (2008 - 2014)
Habilitation in Organic Chemistry, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany (2014)
Postdoctoral Researcher, Chemical Biology and Nanotechnology (Christof Niemeyer Group), University of Dortmund, Germany (2004 - 2008)
PhD in Biospectroscopy, University of Strathclyde (Duncan Graham, Ewen W. Smith), Glasgow, UK (2000 - 2004)
Diploma in Chemistry, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science ( 1995 - 1999)
International Baccalaureate Bilingual Diploma, United World College of the Adriatic, Duino, Italy (1993 -1995)
Awards/Fellowships
Marie Curie Incoming International Fellowship
Humboldt Fellowship
Overseas Research Award
University of Zagreb Rector's Award
Publications
1. L. Crocker, P. Koehler, P. Bernhard, A. Kerbs, T. Euser and Lj. Fruk, Enzyme-inspired Flavin Pollydopamine as a Biocompatible Nanoparticle Photocatalysts, Nanoscale Horiz. 2019, 4, 1318.
2. L. Crocker, L. Fruk, Flavin Conjugated Polydopamine Nanoparticles Displaying Light-driven Monooxygenase Activity, Frontiers Chem 2019, 7, article 278.
3. L. Stolzer, A. Vigovskaya, C. Barner-Kowollik, Lj. Fruk, A Self Reporting Tetrazole Based Linker for the Biofunctionalization of Gold Nanorods, Chemistry-A Eur. J. 2015, 21, 14309
4. C. Garcia-Astrain, C. Chen, M. Buron, T. Palomares, A. Eceiza, Lj. Fruk, M. Angeles Corcuera, N. Gabilondo, Biocompatible Hydrogel Nanocomposite with Covalently Embedded Silver Nanoparticles, Biomacromolecules 2015, 16(4), 1301
5. M. Miljevic, B. Geiseler, T. Bergfeldt, P. Brockstaller, Lj. Fruk, Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity of Au/TiO2 Nanocomposite Prepared Using Bifunctional Bridging Linker, Adv. Funct. Mater 2014, 24(7), 1028
6. D. M. Bauer, I. Ahmed, A. Vigovskaya, Lj. Fruk, Clickable Tyrosine Binding Bifuctional Linkers for Preparation of DNA-Protein Conjugates, Bioconj. Chem. 2013, 24, 6, 1094.
7. G. Shtenberg, N. Massad-Ivanir, O. Moscowitz, S. Engin, M. Sharon, Lj. Fruk, E. Segal, Picking up the Pieces, A Generic Porous Si Biosensor for Probing the Proteolytic Products of Enzymes, Anal. Chem. 2013, 85(3), 1951
8. Yu-Chueh Hung, Wei-Ting Hsu, Ting-Yu Lin, Lj. Fruk, Photoinduced write- once read-many-times memory device based on DNA biopolymer composite, Appl. Phys. Lett. 2011, 253301
9. F. Bano, Lj. Fruk, B. Sanavio, M. Glettenberg, L. Casalis, C. M. Niemeyer, G. Scoles, Towards Multiprotein Nanochips Using Nanografting and DNA Directed Immobilization of Proteins, Nano Lett. 2009, 9(7), 2614
10. Lj. Fruk, C. M.Niemeyer, Covalent Hemin-DNA Adducts for Generating a Novel Class of Artifical Heme Enzymes. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2005, 44, 2603.
Teaching and Supervisions
Ethics in Engineering and Science, Bionanotechnology, Chemical Product Design,
