Self-Organization and Responsiveness of Biomimetic Membranes

在这个由化学学部大分子、超分子和纳米化学项目资助的项目中，加州大学戴维斯分校的Tonya Kuhl教授正在确定模型生物细胞膜的结构和在各种条件下的结构变化。该研究将研究自组织细胞膜系统的化学力和原理。研究生和本科生都将接受训练，并在化学、物理、工程和生物学之间进行多学科工作。K-12外展活动包括Kuhl教授，本科生和研究生通过动手科学演示与K-12学生互动。这些活动的一个特别目标是通过提供女性工程榜样，鼓励年轻妇女追求科学和工程教育。将开发适合年龄的演示，以适应现有的K-12科学课程。一个系统的方法将用于确定膜的结构-功能关系，作为组成和环境条件的功能，以及这些自组织，适应系统如何响应特定的刺激，如蛋白质结合。这些知识将使强大和易于制造的仿生膜平台能够以可控的方式再现所需的纳米结构，膜的化学和物理环境。基于生物膜的平台的发展以可控的方式概括了所需的膜环境，在生物系统的转化研究、药物筛选和阐明在膜界面发生的无数生物活动的机制方面具有潜在的广泛应用。

In this project funded by the Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry program of the Chemistry Division, Professor Tonya Kuhl of the University of California at Davis is determining the structure of model biological cell membranes and structural changes under various conditions. The research will examine the chemical forces and principles of self-organizing cellular membrane systems. Both graduate and undergraduate students will be trained and carry out this multidisciplinary work at the interface between chemistry, physics, engineering, and biology. K-12 outreach activities involve Professor Kuhl, undergraduate and graduate students engaging with K-12 students through hands-on science demonstrations. A particular goal of the activities is to encourage young women to pursue science and engineering educations by providing female engineering role models. Age appropriate demonstrations will be developed to fit within the existing K-12 science curriculum.A systematic approach will be used to determine the structure-function relationships of membranes as a function of composition and environmental conditions and how these self-organizing, adapting systems respond to specific stimuli such as protein binding. Such knowledge will enable robust and easily fabricated biomimetic membrane platforms that recapitulate the desired nanostructured, chemical and physical environment of the membrane in a controllable manner. Development of biomembrane based platforms that recapitulate the desired membrane environment in a controllable manner has potentially wide-spread application for transforming studies of biological systems, drug screening, and elucidating the mechanisms of the myriad of biological activities that take place at the membrane interface.