CAREER: Membrane Platform Technologies for Channel Protein Science and Sensing

在过去的30年里，目前在实验室中制造独立平面脂质双分子层膜的技术基本上没有变化。通道蛋白的科学研究、临床研究和技术应用都将从一个强大的、长寿命的、紧凑的、易于操作的膜平台中受益匪浅。本研究的目的是通过开发两项创新来满足这些技术需求：(1)长寿命，机械稳定的膜和(2)能够按需快速自动形成膜的微流体系统。首席研究员（PI）实验室的初步工作表明，通过将独立的脂质双分子层膜封装在原位光聚合水凝胶中，可以显著改善膜的机械稳定性和寿命。在提出的工作中，凝胶性质将改变，以优化耐久性和延长包封膜的使用寿命。PI的实验室还开发了一种在微流体装置中自动形成膜的新方法，该装置由聚二甲基硅氧烷的溶剂萃取特性驱动。在提出的工作中，现有的原型装置将被优化，生成装置——由可通过多路通道单独寻址的膜的平面阵列组成——将被开发和构建。除了培养研究生外，PI还参与了一些项目，以吸引和接待高中生和本科生到他的实验室。

Jacob Schmidt0644442The current technologies for creating freestanding planar lipid bilayer membranes in the laboratory are essentially unchanged over the past 30 years. Scientific studies, clinical research, and technological applications of channel proteins would all benefit greatly from a robust, long-lived, compact, and easily operated membrane platform. The objective of this research is to address these technological needs through the development of two innovations: (1) long-lived, mechanically stabilized membranes and (2) microfluidic systems capable of forming membranes quickly and automatically in an on-demand manner. Preliminary work by the principal investigator's (PI's) laboratory has shown significant improvements in mechanical stability and longevity of a free-standing lipid bilayer membrane can be achieved by encapsulating the membrane within an in situ photo-polymerized hydrogel. In the proposed work, the gel properties will be varied to optimize durability and extend the lifetime of the encapsulated membranes. The PI's laboratory has also developed a novel method of automated membrane formation in a microfluidic device driven by the solvent extraction properties of polydimethylsiloxane. In the proposed work, the existing prototype device will be optimized and generation device--consisting of a planar array of membranes individually addressable through multiplexed channels--will be developed and constructed. In addition to training graduate students, the PI is part of a number of programs to attract and host high school and undergraduate students in his laboratory.