Organization, Dynamics and Translocation at Fluid Interfaces

本研究由分析与表面化学计划资助，主要研究支撑脂质双层膜的结构与动力学。脂质双层对生命是必不可少的，并且支撑的双层结构在生物传感应用中至关重要。这些分子层已被广泛研究，但这些膜内的分子相互作用和它们的宏观行为之间的联系仍有待建立。密歇根州立大学的Blanchard教授和他的团队专注于这项研究，了解单层囊泡和支持脂质双层的结构，动力学和相分离行为，作为层组成和基底化学结构的函数。该小组评估，包括与荧光探针分子，模型双层内的分子相互作用，以及负责双层组织和动力学的双层和基底之间的分子相互作用。所有这些努力的一个共同点是双层动力学和组织是由双层内的结构缺陷位点介导的假设。这个研究项目的更大目的，除了理解脂质双层的组织和动力学，是教育学生在界面科学的前沿，培养一个具有全球竞争力的学生群体，反映了国家的人口统计学在科学事业。 这项研究是这一努力的一个工具。 这项工作的结果将形成本科研究报告，硕士论文，博士论文，并将在同行评议的文献报告。 该研究计划面向本科生和研究生的参与，PI的家乡机构强烈支持将本科生纳入研究，确保早期接触多学科科学。密歇根州立大学化学研究生课程和整个机构长期致力于纳入代表性不足的群体，在过去的七年里，布兰查德研究小组的女性比例超过50%。 该小组正在与Pawel Krysiñski教授（华沙大学）进行国际合作，重点是使用生物和仿生界面进行化学传感。 Krysiñski小组的专业知识与Blanchard小组的专业知识相结合，这种合作增强了两个实验室的广度。 来自两个小组的学生定期在合作实验室工作，为美国和波兰学生培养全球科学观，并加速基础知识的发展。

In this research supported by the Analytical and Surface Chemistry Program, the organization and dynamics of supported lipid bilayer films are investigated. Lipid bilayers are essential to life and supported bilayer structures are of critical importance in biosensing applications. These molecular layers have been studied widely but the connection between molecular interactions within these films and their macroscopic behavior remains to be established. Prof. Blanchard and his group at Michigan State University focus in this research on understanding the structure, dynamics and phase separation behavior in unilamellar vesicles and supported lipid bilayers as a function of layer composition and substrate chemical structure. The group evaluates, including with fluorescent probe molecules, the molecular interactions within model bilayers and between the bilayer and substrate that are responsible for bilayer organization and dynamics. A common thread to all of these efforts is the hypothesis that bilayer dynamics and organization are mediated by structural defect sites within the bilayers.The larger purpose of this research program, beyond understanding lipid bilayer organization and dynamics, is to educate students at the cutting edge of interfacial science to train a globally competitive cohort of students that reflects the demographic of the Nation for careers in science. This research serves as a vehicle in that effort. Results from this work will form undergraduate research reports, MS theses, PhD dissertations and will be reported in the peer-reviewed literature. This research program is geared for participation by undergraduate and graduate students, and the PI's home institution is strongly supportive of the inclusion of undergraduates in research, ensuring early exposure to multidisciplinary science. The MSU Graduate Program in Chemistry and the Institution as a whole has a long-standing commitment to the inclusion of under-represented groups, and for the past seven years the Blanchard research group has been more than 50% female. The group has an ongoing International collaboration with Professor Pawel Krysiñski (University of Warsaw) that focuses on the use of biological and biomimetic interfaces for chemical sensing. The Krysiñski group expertise dovetails with the Blanchard group, and this collaboration enhances the breadth of both labs. Students from both groups work regularly in the collaborator labs, fostering a global scientific outlook for both US and Polish students and accelerating the movement of fundamental knowledge.