Physics of biosensors and biocolloid transport in nature's own nanoenvironment

从物理的角度来看，生物系统的特征可以是其多组分的性质、丰富的界面和其固有的非平衡性。基本的构建块是脂类，由于它们的两亲性，它们在细胞等结构与其周围环境之间形成界面。这些界面是有功能的：例如，蛋白质可以附着或穿透细胞膜，从而提供离子和更大分子进出细胞的运输通道。膜也能够在不损失其完整性的情况下融合。脂膜是自然界自己的纳米环境。积木、脂质以及许多功能单元，如纳米孔-离子通道和一些细菌毒素-都有纳米尺度的尺寸。在这里，正在使用计算物理和化学的方法来研究通道和纳米孔的相互作用和功能。目标有三个：首先，至关重要的是确定这些系统的基本物理相互作用和机制。其次，所获得的知识将被用于研究新的纳米孔应用，如超灵敏纳米传感器和靶向药物输送。第三，在方法上存在挑战。我们使用计算和理论分子建模，最先进的方法将进一步使用和发展。这里使用的方法也适用于生物、材料和软物质物理和化学中的许多其他问题，因此服务于广泛的社区。除了纳米孔外，还在研究其他生物胶体，如囊泡。其目的是研究如何利用电场操纵、运输、分离和识别生物胶体。与这些系统相关的物理现象非常普遍，应用范围从分离癌细胞到纳米电机和检测水样中的毒素。

From a physical point of view, biological systems can be characterized by their multicomponent nature, an abundance of interfaces and their inherent non-equilibrium nature. The basic building blocks are lipids, and due to their amphiphilic nature, they form interfaces between structures such as cells and their surroundings. These interfaces are functional: For example, proteins can attach to or penetrate through membranes, thus providing channels for transport of ions and larger molecules in and out of a cell. Membranes are also able to fuse without losing their integrity. The lipid membrane is nature's own nanoenvironment. The building blocks, lipids, as well as many of the functional units, such as nanopores - ion channels and some bacterial toxins -  have dimensions in the nanoscale. Here, the interactions and functionality of channels and nanopores are being investigated using the methods of computational physics and chemistry. The goal is threefold: First, it is vital to identify the fundamental physical interactions and mechanisms governing these systems. Second, the acquired knowledge will be used to study new nanopore applications such as ultrasensitive nanosensors and targeted drug delivery. Third, there are methodological challenges. We use computational and theoretical molecular modeling and state-of-the-art methods will used and developed further. The methods used here are applicable in many other problems in biological, materials and soft matter physics and chemistry, and thus serve a wide community. In addition to nanopores,  biocolloids, such as vesicles are being investigated. The aim is to study how biocolloids can be manipulated, transported, separated and identified using electric fields. The physical phenomena related to these systems are very general, and the applications range from separation of cancerous cells to nanomotors and detection of toxins in water samples.