Dr. Roger Bofill Arasa

Dr. Bofill enjoys a permanent position as Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry (Inorganic Chemistry) at the UAB since November 2009. His research career includes the study of the structural properties and metal binding capacity of metallothioneins (PhD Thesis & September 2004-2011), the enzymatic properties of xanthine dehydrogenase (oct. 2001-June 2002), the recombinant synthesis and folding mechanism studies of ubiquitin-related proteins (July 2002-July 2004), the synthesis and the oxidative and reductive catalytic studies of molecular catalysts based on Ru and the synthesis of Ru and Co nanoparticles and their structural and catalytic characterization in the water oxidation and the hydrogen evolution reactions (from 2012 onwards).

This experience in such varied subjects gives him the ability to design precise nanocatalysts for the development of clean energy processes with a view to achieving a sustainable future.

His research activity has been located mainly in Catalonia (UAB), but also in the United Kingdom (University of Sussex, University of Nottingham) and in Switzerland (University of Zurich), and as a result of his research activities of the last 10 years in the Seloxcat research group (http://seloxcat.com/) he has maintained scientific collaborations with the research groups led by Dr. Karine Philippot and Dr. Romuald Poteau (LCC-UPS, Toulouse), Dr. Antoni Llobet (ICIQ, Tarragona), Dr. Roger Alberto (U. Zurich), Dr. James Durrant (Imperial College, London), Dr. Lluís Blancafort and Dr. Albert Poater (UdG, Girona), Dr. Franc Meyer (U. Göttinghen) and Dr. Luis M. Martínez-Prieto (U. Sevilla), among others.

He has co-authored 41 publications in international scientific journals (8 as corresponding author, 9 as first author, 10 belonging to the first decile of the SCIE and the SJR, 27 belonging to the Q1 of the SCIE and 32 belonging to the Q1 of the SJR) and 3 book chapters, with an h-index of 19, as well as 3 science dissemination publications on the “UAB divulga” website.

During 26 years of research activity he has participated in 19 competitive research projects and has completed 3 research stays (1 month as a PhD student at the Department of Biochemistry, U. Zurich; 9 months as a contracted Post-Doc within the framework of an European Project at the School of Biological Sciences, U. Sussex; and 2 years as a Post-Doc Marie Curie Fellow at the Department of Chemistry and at the Center for Biomolecular Sciences, U. Nottingham). He has co-supervised 4 PhD Theses (2 as International PhDs, 1 as a cotutelle PhD) and 4 Master Theses, and he also has supervised 7 Undergraduate Theses and been a jury member of 5 PhDs. He has also been a member of the local organizing committee of the 11th International Symposium on Applied Bioinorganic Chemistry-ISABC11 (http://www.qi.ub.es/isabc11/OrgComm.htm), held in Barcelona on December 2nd-5th, 2011. He is a reviewer for Nat. Commun., Angew. Chem. International Ed., ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, J. Photochem. Photobiol. B: Biol., J. Chem. Sci., Frontiers Chem., Eur. J. Inorg. Chem., Dalton Trans. and Catalysts.

In October 1st 2020 he was appointed as the coordinator of the PhD Program in Materials Science at the UAB, which includes 130 PhD students. He has as well collaborated with the industry through the participation in two industry-university agreements with the wine company Miguel Torres SA (agreement numbers 15101 and 15736) in order to look for catalytic and electro-catalytic alternatives to CO2 for the conversion of this polluting gas into profitable chemical products with greater added value.

List of Publications (h index 19)
  1. “Ru nanoparticles supported on alginate-derived graphene as hybrid electrodes for the hydrogen evolution reaction” L. Mallón, C. Cerezo-Navarrete, N. Romero, M. Puche, J. García-Antón, R. Bofill, K. Philippot, L. M. Martínez-Prieto, X. Sala New J. Chem. 46, 49-56 (2022)
  2. “Light‐Driven Hydrogen Evolution Assisted by Covalent Organic Frameworks” N. Romero, R. Bofill, L. Francàs, J. García-Antón, X. Sala Catalysts 2021, 11(6), 754; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal11060754.
  3. “Consecutive Ligand-based Electron Transfer in New Molecular Copper-based Water Oxidation Catalysts” M. Gil-Sepulcre, P. Garrido-Barros, J. Oldengott, I. Funes-Ardoiz, R. Bofill, X. Sala, J. Benet-Buchholz, A. Llobet. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 60, 18639–18644 (2021).
  4. “The Role of Catalyst-Support Interactions in Oxygen Evolution Anodes based on Co(OH)2 Nanoparticles and Carbon Microfibers” L. Mallón, N. Romero, A. Jiménez-Almarza, E. Martin Morales, J. Aleman, R. Mas Balleste, R. Bofill, K. Philippot, J. García-Antón, X. Sala. Cat. Sci.& Tech. 10, 4513-4521 (2020)
  5. “Ruthenium Nanoparticles for Catalytic Water Splitting” J. Creus, J. De Tovar, N. Romero, J. García-Antón, K. Philippot, R. Bofill, X. Sala*. ChemSusChem 12, 2493-2514 (2019)
  6. “Ruthenium Nanoparticles Supported onto Carbon Microfibers for Hydrogen Evolution Electrocatalysis” J. Creus, L. Mallón, N. Romero, R. Bofill, A. Moya, J. L. G. Fierro, R. Mas-Balleste, X. Sala, K. Philippot, J. García-Antón, Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2071-2077 (2019)
  7. “Analysis of the soybean metallothionein system under radical stress: protein modification connected to lipid membrane damages” M. Tomas, E. Jimenez-Marti, R. Bofill, A. Tinti, M. Di Foggia, C. Chatgilialoglu, A.Torreggiani. Metallomics 10, 1792-1804 (2018)
  8. “Light-driven water oxidation using hybrid photosensitizer-decorated Co3O4 nanoparticles” J. De Tovar, N. Romero, S. A. Denisov, R. Bofill, C. Gimbert-Suriñach, D. Ciuculescu-Pradines, S. Drouet, A. Llobet, P. Lecante, V. Colliere, Z. Freixa, N. McClenaghan, C. Amiens, J. García-Antón, K. Philippot, X. Sala. Mat. Today Energy 9, 506-515 (2018)
  9. “Rational design of a neutral pH functional and stable organic photocathode”, L. Francàs, E. Burns, L. Steiner, H. Cha, L. Solà-Hernàndez, X. Li, P. Shakya, R. Bofill, J. García-Antón, X. Sala, J.R. Durrant, ChemComm 54, 5732-5735 (2018)
  10. “Catalytic H2 evolution with CoO, Co(OH)2 and CoO(OH) NPs generated from a molecular polynuclear Co complex“, M. Gil-Sepulcre, C. Gimbert-Suriñach, D. Aguilà. V. Velasco, J. García-Antón, A. Llobet, G. Aromí, *R. Bofill, X. Sala, Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 1499-1505 (2018)
  11. “Ruthenium Water Oxidation Catalysts based on Pentapyridyl Ligands” M. Gil-Sepulcre, M. Böhler, M. Schilling, F. Bozoglian, C. Bachmann, D. Scherrer, T. Fox, B. Spingler, C. Gimbert-Suriñach, R. Alberto, R. Bofill, X. Sala, S. Luber, C.J. Richmond, A. Llobet, ChemSusChem 10, 4517-4525 (2017)
  12. “Dissimilar Catalytic Behavior of Molecular or Colloidal Palladium Systems with a New NHC Ligand” F. Gómez-Villarraga, J. De Tovar, M. Guerrero, P. Nolis, T. Parella, P. Lecante, N. Romero, L. Escriche, R. Bofill, J. Ros, X. Sala, K. Philippot, J. García-Antón, Dalton Trans. 46, 11768–11778 (2017)
  13. “Mononuclear ruthenium compounds bearing N-donor and N-heterocyclic carbene ligands: structure and oxidative catalysis” H.-J. Liu, M. Gil-Sepulcre, L. Francas, P. Nolis, T. Parella, J. Benet-Buchholz, X. Fontrodona, J. Garcia-Anton, N. Romero, A. Llobet, L. Escriche,*R. Bofill, X.Sala, Dalton Trans. 46, 2829-2843 (2017)
  14. “Synthesis and Isomeric Analysis of RuII Complexes Bearing Pentadentate Scaffolds” M. Gil-Sepulcre, J. C. Axelson, J. Aguiló, L. Solà-Hernández, L. Francàs, A. Poater, L. Blancafort, J. Benet-Buchholz, G. Guirado, L. Escriche, A. Llobet, *R. Bofill, X. Sala, Inorg. Chem. 55, 11216-11229 (2016)
  15. “Comparative Raman study of four plant metallothionein isoforms: insights into their Zn(II) clusters and protein conformations” M. Tomas, A. Tinti, R. Bofill, M. Capdevila, S. Atrian, A. Torreggiani, J. Inorg. Biochem. 156, 55-63 (2016)
  16. “Powerful Bis-facially Pyrazolate-Bridged Dinuclear Ruthenium Epoxidation Catalyst” J. Aguiló, L. Francàs, R. Bofill, M. Gil-Sepulcre, J. García-Antón, A. Poater, A. Llobet, L. Escriche, F. Meyer, X. Sala, Inorg. Chem. 54, 6782-6791 (2015)
  17. “Sunflower metallothionein family characterisation. Study of the Zn(II)- and Cd(II)-binding abilities of the HaMT1 and HaMT2 isoforms” M. Tomas, M.A. Pagani, C.S. Andreo, M. Capdevila, S. Atrian, *R. Bofill, J. Inorg. Biochem. 148, 35-48 (2015)
  18. “Chemical, Electrochemical and Photochemical Molecular Water Oxidation Catalysts” R. Bofill, J. García-Antón, L. Escriche, X. Sala, J. Photochem. Photobiol. B:Biol. 152,71-81 (2015)
  19. “His-containing plant metallothioneins: comparative study of divalent metal-ion binding by plant MT3 and MT4 isoforms” M. Tomàs, M.A. Pagani, C.S. Andreo, M. Capdevila, R. Bofill, S. Atrian, J. Biol. Inorg. Chem. 19(7), 1149-1164 (2014)
  20. “Morphological and chemical analysis of male scent organs in the butterfly genus Pyrgus (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae)” J. L. Hernández-Roldán, R. Bofill, L. Dapporto, M. L. Munguira, R.Vila, Org. Divers. Evol. 14, 269–278 (2014)
  21. “Molecular Water Oxidation Mechanisms Followed by Transition Metals: State of the Art” X. Sala, S. Maji, R. Bofill, J. García-Antón, L. Escriche, A. Llobet, Acc. Chem. Res. 47(2), 504-516 (2014)
  22. “Characterization and Performance of Electrostatically Adsorbed Ru-Hbpp Water Oxidation Catalysts” J. Aguiló, L. Francàs, H.J. Liu, R. Bofill, J. García-Antón, J. Benet-Buchholz, A. Llobet, L. Escriche, X. Sala, Cat. Sci.& Tech., 4(1), 190-199 (2014)
  23. “Dinuclear ruthenium complexes containing a new ditopic phthalazinbis(triazole) ligand that promotes metal–metal interactions” J. Aguiló, A. Naeimi, R. Bofill, H. Mueller-Bunz, A. Llobet, L. Escriche, X. Sala, M. Albrecht, New J. Chem. 38, 1980-1987 (2014)
  24. “The sea urchin metallothionein system: comparative evaluation of the SpMTA and SpMTB metal-binding preferences” M. Tomàs, J. Domènech, M. Capdevila, R. Bofill, S. Atrian, FEBS Open Bio, 3, 89-100 (2013)
  25. “Transition metal complexes containing the dinucleating tetra-N dentate Hbpp ligand: a robust scaffold for multiple applications including the catalytic oxidation of water to molecular oxygen”
    J. García-Antón, R. Bofill, L. Escriche, A. Llobet, X. Sala, Eur. J. Inorg. Chem., 30, 4775-4789 (2012)
  26. “The response of the different soybean metallothionein isoforms to cadmium intoxication” M.A. Pagani, M. Tomas, J. Carrillo, R. Bofill, M. Capdevila, S. Atrian, C.S. Andreo, J. Inorg. Biochem., 117, 306-315 (2012)
  27. “State-of-the-art of metallothioneins at the beginning of the 21st century” M. Capdevila, R. Bofill, Ò. Palacios, S. Atrian, Coord. Chem. Rev., 256, 46– 62 (2012)
  28. “C. elegans metallothionein isoform specificity: metal binding abilities and histidine role in CeMT1 and CeMT2” R. Bofill, R. Orihuela, M. Romagosa, J. Domènech, S. Atrian, M. Capdevila, FEBS J, 276, 7040-7056 (2009)
  29. “Independent metal-binding features of recombinant metallothioneins convergently draw a step gradation between Zn- and Cu-thioneins” R. Bofill, M. Capdevila, S. Atrian, Metallomics, 1, 229-234 (2009)
  30. “The metal-binding features of the recombinant mussel Mytilus edulis MT-10-IV metallothionein” R. Orihuela, J. Domènech, R. Bofill, C. You, E. A. Mackay, J. H. R. Kägi, M. Capdevila, S. Atrian, J. Biol. Inorg. Chem., 13, 801-812 (2008)
  31. “Comparative insight into the Zn(II)-, Cd(II)- and Cu(I)–binding features of the protozoan Tetrahymena pyriformis MT1 metallothionein” J. Domènech, R. Bofill, A. Tinti, A. Torreggiani, S. Atrian, M. Capdevila, Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 1784, 693-704 (2008)
  32. “Engineering stabilising beta-sheet interactions into a conformationally flexible region of the folding transition state of ubiquitin: premature collapse of the polypeptide chain, non-native interactions and complex folding kinetics” R. Bofill, M.S. Searle, J. Mol. Biol., 353, 373-384 (2005)
  33. “Engineering Enhanced Protein Stability through beta-turn Optimisation: Insights for the Design of Stable Peptide beta-hairpin Systems” E.R. Simpson, J. Meldrum, R. Bofill, M.D. Crespo, E. Holmes, M. S. Searle, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 44, 4939-4944 (2005)
  34. “Extending the Folding Nucleus of Ubiquitin with an Independently Folding β-Hairpin Finger: Hurdles to Rapid Folding Arising from the Stabilisation of Local Interaction” R. Bofill, E.R. Simpson, G.W. Platt, M.D. Crespo, M.S. Searle, J. Mol. Biol., 349, 205-221 (2005)
  35. “Context-dependent effects of proline residues on the stability and folding pathway of ubiquitin” M.D. Crespo, G.W. Platt, R. Bofill, M.S. Searle, European Journal of Biochemistry, 271, 4474-4484 (2004)
  36. “Incremental contribution to protein stability from a -hairpin “finger”: limits on the stability of designed -hairpin peptides” M. S. Searle, G. W. Platt, R. Bofill, S. A. Simpson, B. Ciani , Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 43, 1991-1994 (2004)
  37. “A New Insight into MT Classification and Evolution. The in vivo and in vitro metal binding features of Homarus americanus recombinant MT” M. Valls, R. Bofill, R. González-Duarte, P. González-Duarte, M. Capdevila, S. Atrian (* equal contribution), J. Biol. Chem., 276 (35), 32835-32843 (2001)
  38. “Zn(II) is required for the in vivo and in vitro folding of mouse Cu-metallothionein in two domains” R. Bofill, M. Capdevila, N. Cols, S. Atrian, P. Gonzàlez-Duarte, J. Biol. Inorg. Chem., 6, 405-417 (2001)
  39. “Drosophila MTN: a metazoan copper-thionein related to fungal forms” M. Valls, R. Bofill, N. Romero-Isart, R. Gonzàlez-Duarte, J. Abián, M. Carrascal, P. Gonzàlez-Duarte, M. Capdevila, S. Atrian (* equal contribution), FEBS Lett., 467, 189-194 (2000)
  40. “In vivo copper- and cadmium-binding ability of mammalian metallothionein β domain”, N. Cols, N. Romero-Isart, R. Bofill, M. Capdevila, P. Gonzàlez-Duarte, R. Gonzàlez-Duarte, S. Atrian, Prot. Engng., 12, 265-269 (1999)
  41. “A new insight into the Ag+ and Cu+ binding sites in the metallothionein β domain”, R. Bofill, O. Palacios, M. Capdevila, N. Cols, R. Gonzàlez-Duarte, S. Atrian, P. Gonzàlez-Duarte, J. Inorg. Biochem., 73, 57-64 (1999)

Non-indexed Publications:

  1. “Recombinant synthesis and metal-binding abilities of mouse metallothionein 1 and its α- and β-domains” S. Atrian, R. Bofill, M. Capdevila, N. Cols, P. Gonzàlez-Duarte, R. Gonzàlez-Duarte, A. Leiva, O. Palacios, N. Romero-Isart, Metallothionein IV, 55-61, C. Klaassen (ed) (1999)

Book Chapters:

  1. “The re-birth of Ruthenium-based nanomaterials for the hydrogen evolution reaction”
    N. Romero, J. Creus, R. Bofill, J. García-Antón, X. Sala. En: Nanoparticles in catalysis: Advances in synthesis and applications; Eds.: K. Philippot and A. Roucoux; Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co.; p.257-278 (2021); ISBN: 978-3-527-34607-3
  2. “Ru-Based Water Oxidation Catalysts” L. Francàs, R. Bofill, J. García-Antón, L. Escriche, X. Sala, A. Llobet. En: Antoni Llobet, ed. Molecular Water Oxidation Catalysts: A Key Topic for New Sustainable Energy Conversion Schemes. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd; p. 29-50 (2014); ISBN: 978-1-118-41337-1
  3. “Water Oxidation” R. Bofill, J. García-Antón, L. Escriche, X. Sala, A. Llobet. En: Jan Reedijk and Kenneth Poeppelmeier, eds. Comprehensive Inorganic Chemistry II, Vol 8. Oxford: Elsevier; p. 505-523 (2013).
PhD, Master Thesis and Undergraduate Thesis supervision
  • Co-supervisor of the PhD Thesis “Estudi de l’especificitat metàl·lica i del paper dels lligands sulfur en Metal·lotioneïnes (MTs) de diversos organismes” (Rubèn Orihuela García, July 10th 2009, Chemistry Dept., UAB).
  • Co-supervisor of the PhD Thesis (International Doctorate) “Estudi de la relació estructura-funció de les metal·lotioneïnes en sistemes polimòrfics d’animals (eriçó de mar) i de plantes (soja i gira-sol)” (Mireia Tomàs Giner, May 23rd 2014, Chemistry Dept., UAB).
  • Co-supervisor of the PhD Thesis (International Doctorate) “Ru, Co and Cu-based catalysts for artificial photosynthesis” (Marcos Gil Sepulcre, Feb. 23rd 2018, Chemistry Dept., UAB).
  • Co-supervisor of the PhD Thesis (Cotutelle Doctorate) “Surface-funcionalized and hybrid nanocatalysts for water splitting” (Laura Mallón Pernia, Sept. 28th 2021, Chemistry Dept., UAB).
  • Co-supervisor of the Official Master in Chemistry “Estudi de la capacitat coordinant envers Cd(II) d’una metal·lotioneïna d’alzina surera (QsMT)” (Rubén Orihuela García, March 20th 2007, Chemistry Dept., UAB).
  • Co-supervisor of the Master in Experimental Chemistry “Síntesis y caracterización de complejos moleculares de rutenio que incorporan el ligando Py4Im en su estructura. Aplicación en catálisis de oxidación de agua y de epoxidación de olefinas” (Selene Gil Moreno, Dec. 17th 2012, Dept. Chemistry, UAB).
  • Co-supervisor of the Master in Experimental Chemistry ”Elèctrodes de FTO i de WO3 dopats amb nanopartícules de RuO2 per a la oxidació fotocatalítica de l’aigua” (Lluís Solà Hernández, March 27th 2017, Chemistry Dept., UAB).
  • Co-supervisor of the Master in Industrial Chemistry and Introduction to Chemical Research “Ruthenium nanoparticles decorated with photosensitizers for the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution” (Marc Alique Garcia, July 23rd 2019, Chemistry Dept., UAB).
  • Supervisor of the Undergraduate Thesis (Chemistry Degree Project)
  1. “Preparació de nanomaterials mitjançant el mètode organometàl·lic per a la seva aplicació com a catalizadors electroquímics i/o fotoquímics de reducció del CO2.” (Guillermo Recuero Hinojosa, in progress, co-supervised).
  2. “Ús de materials nanoestructurats com a catalitzadors de reducció de CO2” (Alejandro Bélmez Lladó, Feb. 2016).
  3. “Sistemes nanocatalítics per a la reducció de protons a hidrogen. Emmagatzemament i aplicacions de l’hidrogen.” (Gerard Cañellas Palou, Jul. 2017).
  4. “Nanopartícules bimetàl·liques com a catalitzadors per a la reacció d’oxidació de l’aigua” (Rubén López García, Jul. 2018).
  5. “Nanopartícules de Co per a la reducció catalítica de protons” (Adrià Gómez Peñataro, Jul.2018, co-supervised)
  6. “Materiales de cobalto para la producción sostenible de hidrógeno” (Noelia Rodrigáñez Castela, Jul. 2019, co-supervised).
  7. “Ús de líquids iònics per a la lluita contra el canvi climàtic” (Èric Bach Marqués, Jul. 2019).
  8. “Sistemes nanocatalítics basats en Ru per a la fotodescomposició de l’aigua en hidrogen i oxigen” (Ignasi Casanovas Plana, Feb. 2020).