Professor — Inorganic and Materials Chemistry
Research and/or Creative Works
Our work is concerned with porous nanomaterials of all types. We are interested in studying structure-property relationships of these solids (primarily porosity and morphology) as they relate to specific applications in filtration, catalysis, and molecular adsorption/release. Students in my group learn fundamental inorganic and solid-state chemical synthesis techniques and characterization methods, and they test the materials they have made in a variety of important applications. We also collaborate extensively with industrial and medical researchers. This interplay between fundamental and applied research is an important aspect of my group’s research.
Over the years, we have developed many new methods to synthesize porous materials with unique properties. Several current projects are focused on oxidation of organic substrates, using either porous WO3 nanoparticles as visible-light photocatalysts or chelated V=O2+ on porous silica nanoparticles using only O2 as the oxidant at ambient conditions. We also study changes in the activity and thermal stability of enzymes after they are immobilized within porous nanoparticles, and the development of detection/decontamination systems using nano-bioconjugated enzymes. This project focuses specifically on organophosphorus hydrolases, which are capable of decontaminating organophosphate pesticides and chemical nerve agents. Finally, we have developed new targeted drug delivery systems, using porous silica nanoparticles modified with antibodies and loaded with biomolecular cargo such as miRNA, siRNA, small molecule chemotherapeutic drugs, and others. Fundamental to this project are studies on the development of the protein corona on porous nanoparticles.
Publications
A. M. Clemments, P. Botella, C. C. Landry. “Spatial Modeling of Protein Adsorption on Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles by Stochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy (STORM)” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 3978–3981.
D. P. DePuccio, L. Ruíz-Rodríguez, P. Botella, J. M. López Nieto, C. C. Landry. “The Influence of Au Nanoparticles on Porous SiO2-WO3 and WO3 Methanol Transformation Catalysts” J. Phys. Chem. C. 2016, 120, 27954–27963.
A. M. Clemments, P. Botella, C. C. Landry. “Protein Adsorption From Biofluids on Silica Nanoparticles: Corona Analysis as a Function of Particle Diameter and Porosity” ACS Applied Mater. Interfaces 2015, 7, 21682–21689.
D. P. DePuccio, P. Botella, B. O'Rourke, C. C. Landry. “Degradation of Methylene Blue Using Porous WO3, SiO2-WO3, and their Au-Loaded Analogs: Adsorption and Photocatalytic Studies” ACS Applied Mater. Interfaces 2015, 7, 1987–1996.
J. L. Steinbacher, C. C. Landry. “Adsorption and Release of siRNA from Porous Silica” Langmuir 2014, 30, 4396–4405. **Cover Article**
K. El-Boubbou, D. A. Schofield, C. C. Landry. “Enhanced Enzymatic Activity of OPH in Ammonium- Functionalized Mesoporous Silica: Surface Modifications and Pore Effects” J. Phys. Chem. C 2012, 116, 17501–17506.
S. L. Macura, J. L. Steinbacher, M. J. Lathrop, M. B. MacPherson, M. Sayan, J. M. Hillegass, S. L. Beuschel, T. N. Perkins, P. C. Speiss, A. van der Vliet, K. J. Butnor, A. Shukla, C. C. Landry, B. T. Mossman. “Microspheres Targeted with a Mesothelin Antibody and Loaded with Doxorubicin Reduce Tumor Volume of Human Mesotheliomas in Xenografts” BMC Cancer 2013, 13, 400.
A. K. Duncan, P. J. Klemm, K. N. Raymond, C. C. Landry. “Silica Microparticles as a Solid Support for Gadolinium-Phosphonate Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Contrast Agents” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 134, 8046–8049.
Awards and Recognition
Elected to the Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering, 2014
University Scholar, University of Vermont, 2013
Fulbright Senior Research Fellow, Instituto de Tecnologia Quimica, Valencia, Spain, 2012
Visiting Associate Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, 2007
Associations and Affiliations

Areas of Expertise and/or Research
Synthesis and studies on porous inorganic nanomaterials, heterogeneous catalysis, nanomedicine, and preparation of nano-bioconjugates.
Education
- B.A., University of Richmond, Richmond, VA, 1990
- Ph.D., Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 1994
- Postdoctoral Fellow, Materials Research Laboratory, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 1994–1996
Contact
- (802) 656-0270
Innovation Hal E222