Structure and Dynamics of Biomaterials

我们的实验室正在进行一项成功的、高生产力的、具有国际竞争力的实验生物物理研究项目。我们的主要工具是X射线衍射和弹性和非弹性中子散射，用于研究人工和天然生物膜、蛋白质纤维、甲壳素和角蛋白结构中的分子结构和动力学。在过去的NSERC发现资助期间，我们进行了几次首次实验，并有条不紊地开发了实验和分析技术。我们的长期目标是开发模型系统和工具，用于在相关的纳米长度和纳秒时间尺度上研究生物材料的分子结构和动力学。 生物材料的斑块性以及这种斑块状物质的特征和后果目前是一个热门话题。我们将研究由不同长度的饱和、不饱和和带电的脂类组成的双层膜中的RAFT的形成，以进一步研究RAFT的分子起源、性质以及它们与膜活性分子和多肽的相互作用。 我们将进一步建立合成膜作为平台，研究小分子如阿司匹林、布洛芬、可的松、胆固醇和多肽与不同组成的脂双层之间的相互作用。我们还将制备红细胞幽灵的细胞膜作为固体支撑的高度定向的膜，以探索这些天然生物膜作为与小分子和多肽相互作用的平台的潜力。 我们将研究生物材料，如蛋白质纤维、鱿鱼围栏、虫壳和毛发，研究其基本构成单元，如蛋白质、甲壳素和角蛋白，在原位形成卷曲、β-片状、纳米微晶和纳米纤维等二级结构的组织，并将分子组织与宏观功能联系起来。 作为生命研究起源的一部分，我们将研究核苷酸以及与生物表面、粘土和无机盐接触的RNA和DNA片段的组织，以研究在益生条件下类RNA结构的形成。新的生命起源实验室将提供独特的设备来模拟早期地球条件和快速老化。 拟议的实验将在我们的膜和蛋白质动力学实验室、生命起源实验室、位于Chalk River的加拿大中子束中心以及美国和欧洲的国际中子源进行。前往这些世界级设施的旅行是该提案的重要组成部分。我们在高中、本科和研究生层面开展了高效的HQP培训计划，从而产生了高科研产出。在会议上发言以及在国家和国际设施中进行科学实验大大促进了HQP的培训。

Our lab is running a successful, highly productive and internationally competitive research program in experimental biological physics. Our main tools are X-ray diffraction and elastic and inelastic neutron scattering to study molecular structure and dynamics in synthetic and native biological membranes, protein fibres, chitin and keratin structures. We conducted several first time experiments during the past NSERC Discovery funding periods and methodically developed experimental and analysis techniques. Our long term goal is to develop model systems and tools for the study of molecular structure and dynamics in biomaterials on relevant nanoscopic length and nanosecond time scales. Patchiness of biological materials and characterization and consequences of this patchy state of matter is currently a hot topic. We will study raft formation in bilayers made of saturated, unsaturated and charged lipids of different lengths to further investigate the molecular origin and properties of rafts and their interaction with membrane active molecules and peptides. We will further establish synthetic membranes as platform to investigate the interaction of small molecules, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, cortisone, cholesterol and peptides, with lipid bilayers of different composition. We will also prepare the cell membrane of red blood cell ghosts as solid supported, highly oriented membranes to explore the potential of these native biological membranes as platforms for the interaction with small molecules and peptides. We will study biomaterials, such as protein fibres, squid pens and bug shells and hair, to study the organization of their elementary building blocks, such as proteins, chitin and keratin, into secondary structures, such as coiled coils, beta-sheets, nano-crystallites and nano-fibrils in-situ and relate molecular organization to macroscopic function. As part of the origins of life research, we will study the organization of nucleotides and RNA and DNA fragments in contact with biological surfaces, clays and inorganic salts to study the formation of RNA-like structures under prebiotic conditions. The new Origins of Life Laboratory will provide unique equipment to mimic early earth conditions and rapid aging. The proposed experiments will be conducted in our Laboratory for Membrane and Protein Dynamics, the Origins of Life Laboratory, the Canadian Neutron Beam Centre at Chalk River and international neutron sources in the US and Europe. Travel to these world-class facilities is an important component of the proposal. We run a highly efficient training program of HQP on the high school, undergraduate and graduate level resulting in a high scientific output. Presentations at conferences and conducting scientific experiments at national and international facilities significantly contribute to the training of HQP.