CAREER: Lateral Phase Separation of Rafts and Liquid Domains in Lipid Systems

该职业奖支持在脂单分子膜和双层膜中表征“RAFT”结构域的研究。木筏是细胞膜中特定的脂类和蛋白质集中的区域，在信号等生物功能中发挥重要作用。这项研究将检验一个中心假设，即可以根据相同脂类在单层中的相行为来预测脂泡中RAFT结构域的相行为。这项研究的具体目标包括使用荧光显微镜和双光子显微镜来识别巨大单层囊泡中的RAFT结构域，使用已知在单层中形成液体有序结构域的脂类。此外，这项研究还将测试从单层膜到双层膜的对称性是否会改变结构域的形成。这将通过搜索沉积在带有硅烷或烷基硫醇图案的表面上的单分子层中的RAFT结构域来进行评估。长期目标包括评估木筏的存在是否改变了膜蛋白的活性。教育努力主要集中在提高化学和生物化学学生的数学素养上。数学的重要性将在这些学生大学生涯的早期向他们做广告。将开发一份数学自我辅导，以阐明学生需要帮助的领域。由此产生的数据将用于指导课程改革。将建立学习小组和电子邮件线索，帮助学生相互学习。还将努力通过学生举办的系列座谈会增加研究生在部门的参与，并在实验室培训学生。

This CAREER award supports research in the characterization of "raft" domains in lipid monolayers and bilayers. Rafts are regions in cell membranes in which particular lipids and proteins are concentrated, and can play an important role in biological functions such as signaling. This research will test a central hypothesis that the phase behavior of raft domains in lipid vesicles can be predicted from the phase behavior of the same lipids in monolayers. Specific goals of this research include using fluorescence microscopy and 2-photon microscopy to identify raft domains in giant unilamellar vesicles using lipids known to form liquid ordered domains in monolayers. In addition, the research will test whether changing symmetry from a monolayer to a bilayer alters domain formation. This will be evaluated by searching for raft domains in monolayers deposited on a surface patterned with silanes or alkane-thiols. Long-term goals include assessing whether the presence of rafts alters the activity of membrane proteins.Education efforts are focussed primarily on improving mathematical literacy of chemistry and biochemistry students. The importance of mathematics will be advertised to these students early in their college careers. A mathematics self-tutorial will be developed to clarify areas in which students need help. Resultant data will be used to guide curriculum changes. Study groups and e-mail threads will be instituted to help students learn from each other. Effort will also be directed to increasing departmental involvement of graduate students through a student-run colloquium series, and training students in the laboratory.