NQPI welcomes Professor Michael Held, strengthening connections between molecular biology and nanoscale materials research

The Nanoscale and Quantum Phenomena Institute (NQPI) at Ohio University welcomes Professor Michael Held as its newest faculty member. Held is a professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and director of Ohio University's interdisciplinary Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB) Program. His membership brings additional expertise in molecular biology, plant biochemistry and biomaterials, opening new opportunities for interdisciplinary research and collaboration to other NQPI members.

Held joined Ohio University's faculty in 2010 and has developed an extensive research program investigating the molecular mechanisms governing plant cell wall biosynthesis, assembly and organization. His work focuses on how biological polymers interact and assemble into complex structures, offering insights into both fundamental plant biology and the development of sustainable materials.

A central focus of his current research involves extensins, a family of hydroxyproline-rich glycoproteins that form interconnected molecular networks within plant cell walls. Understanding how these molecules self-assemble and form three-dimensional scaffolds could enable the design of new bio-inspired materials with applications in bioplastics, biomedical technologies and other sustainable products.

Held has already established productive collaborations with NQPI researchers, particularly Professors Katherine Cimatu and Allan Showalter. His ongoing National Science Foundation-funded collaboration with Cimatu combines molecular biology, biochemistry, materials characterization and nanoscale imaging to investigate the mechanisms controlling extensin self-assembly.

“Current member Katherine Cimatu recommended I join, given our NSF-funded collaboration to study the self-assembly behavior of plant cell wall glycoprotein polymers,” Held explained. “The opportunities for students and faculty members provided by NQPI are significant, as are the opportunities for collaboration.”

This collaboration exemplifies NQPI's mission to connect researchers across traditional disciplinary boundaries. By bringing together biological expertise with advanced microscopy, spectroscopy, and materials science, researchers can explore how nature constructs complex nanoscale architectures and how these principles might guide the development of next-generation materials.

Held's additional leadership role as Director of MCB offers an opportunity to strengthen connections between two interdisciplinary research communities at Ohio University. MCB brings together faculty from multiple colleges, including the College of Arts and Sciences, the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, the Russ College of Engineering and Technology and the College of Health Sciences and Professions.

“Making connections between programs will require conversations amongst these faculty,” Held noted, expressing hope that the two institute directors can facilitate discussions and bring researchers together.

NQPI looks forward to Held's contributions in advancing interdisciplinary research, creating new collaborative opportunities and supporting student training at the intersection of molecular biology and nanoscale science.