Dunn pioneered methods to encapsulate proteins within inorganic materials – materials that do not come from plant or animal matter – so that the material exhibits the properties of the protein. These materials can be used to create sensors that monitor chemical reactions, for example, a sticker that can be applied to the skin to continuously monitor blood sugar levels. They could also be used for biological fuel cells where enzymes in the fuel cell convert the chemical energy of a fuel such as glucose to produce electrical energy. Dunn hopes his work in this area will lead to novel technologies that meet increasing demand for compact and non-invasive biomedical devices and renewable energy sources that are cost-effective, environmentally friendly and readily available. Dunn is also developing small, fast-charging batteries that hold more power for longer periods. He is improving upon the traditional construction of batteries by designing three-dimensional batteries that are arranged in pillars. This novel construction could enable high-powered batteries to exist on a nanoscale, which could be used to power medical devices implanted in the body and more compact computer electronics.

Development of a Three-Dimensional Bioengineering Technology to Generate Lung Tissue for Personalized Disease Modeling Published in Stem Cells Translational Medicine on Thursday, September 15, 2016 Gold-Coated M13 Bacteriophage as a Template for Glucose Oxidase Biofuel Cells with Direct Electron Transfer Published in ACS Nano on Monday, November 23, 2015 Protein Adsorption Alters Hydrophobic Surfaces Used for Suspension Culture of Pluripotent Stem Cells Published in The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters on Friday, January 16, 2015 A spatially and chemically defined platform for the uniform growth of human pluripotent stem cells Published in Materials Science and Engineering: C on Tuesday, January 1, 2013 Stenciling Graphene, Carbon Nanotubes and Fullerenes Using Elastomeric Lift-Off Membranes Published in Advanced Materials on Tuesday, February 23, 2010 Hydrophobic surfaces for enhanced differentiation of embryonic stem cell-derived embryoid bodies Published in PNAS on Friday, July 25, 2008