CRC: Exploiting Self-Assembly in Biological and Synthetic Macromolecules to Create Novel Hybrid Materials

安娜·巴拉兹、吉尔伯特·沃克、托马斯·拉塞尔和托德·埃姆里克获得了研究自组装过程的协作奖。此次合作的其他合作伙伴包括IBM Almaden的Craig Hawker、NASA的Linda Molnar和NASA的Jonathan Trent。他们的目标是通过利用当两个不同的自组装过程在一个系统中同时发生时产生的协同相互作用来创造新材料。一种是自组装成纤维、束或片状的伴侣蛋白，另一种是合成的嵌段共聚物，形成层状、圆柱状、球形和更复杂的相。通过将一个阶段连接或嵌入到另一个阶段，一个自组织过程可以影响另一个阶段，并导致新的新组装。本研究将理论与实验相结合，探索合作行为，了解基本的自组装过程。了解合成分子如何与生物分子相互作用对生物材料和生物传感器至关重要。这项研究的潜在应用包括抗菌涂层、响应材料、药物输送和生物分子电子学。该项目由化学合作研究计划(CRC)资助，为本科生、研究生和博士后研究人员提供了在非常广泛的研究领域获得知识和技能的绝佳机会，包括材料合成、理论、聚合物工程、物理化学和纳米科学。

Anna Balazs, Gilbert Walker, Thomas Russell, and Todd Emrick are supported with a collaborative award to study self-assembly processes. Additional partners in this collaboration include Craig Hawker (IBM Almaden), Linda Molnar (NASA) and Jonathan Trent (NASA). Their goal is to create novel materials by exploiting synergistic interactions that arise when two distinct self-assembling processes occur silmultaneously in one system. One component is chaperonin proteins that self-assemble into fibers, bundles or sheets, the other is synthetic block copolymers that form lamellar, cylindrical, spherical and more complicated phases. By linking or embedding one phase in another, one self-organization process can influence the other and lead to novel new assemblies. This study integrates theory and experiment to probe cooperative behavior and understand fundamental self-assembly processes. Understanding how synthetic molecules interact with biological molecules is essential to biomaterials and biosensors. Potential applications of this research include antimicrobial coatings, responsive materials, drug delivery and biomolecular electronics. This project is funded through the Collaborative Research in Chemistry Program (CRC) and provides outstanding opportunities for undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers to acquire knowledge and skills in very broad areas of research, including materials synthesis, theory, polymer engineering, physical chemistry and nanoscience.