Nanoscale Investigations of Membranes (RMI)

膜是一种独特的生物纳米结构，可以自我组装，并具有流动性的结构，允许非常复杂的功能。膜的复杂性很大，因为它们由许多不同的脂质，蛋白质和碳水化合物组成，这些物质稳定膜结构。由于膜的尺寸、复杂性和流体性质，对其结构和功能的许多方面知之甚少。纳米科学的最新进展创造了在纳米尺度上分析和操纵生物结构的能力。正因为如此，纳米分析，计算和合成方法的应用， 理解和操纵复杂的生物系统为科学进步提供了令人难以置信的潜力。我们相信，纳米科学工具有能力更好地定义，成像，建模和表征膜，这将提供对这些结构的更好理解。探索具有纳米材料的膜的功能将导致更好地将药物和其他药剂递送到细胞用于治疗应用，并有助于理解膜破坏剂。在本提案中，我们将使用多学科团队的方法来制定概念开发计划（CDP），概述与膜和膜运输研究的纳米科学应用相关的问题。这个过程中的限速步骤是促进不同科学学科之间的有效互动，包括化学家，物理学家，工程师，医生和膜生物学家。为了实现这种类型的相互作用，我们成立了生物纳米技术中心（www.nano.med.umich.edu）。 1998.这导致了一个由具有不同科学能力的个人组成的核心团队的创建，这些个人拥有广泛的富有成效的合作历史。我们相信，在概念开发奖期间，我们可以使用类似的方法，与更广泛的科学家一起，开发需要解决的纳米科学和膜生物学主题以及这些主题的纳米科学方法。将纳米科学应用于膜结构和运输将产生独特的科学发现，并有助于改善医疗保健。

Membranes are unique biological nanostructures that self assemble and have a fluidity of structure that allows very intricate functions. The complexity of membranes is great as they are composed of many different lipids, proteins and carbohydrates that stabilize membrane structure. Because of the size, complexity and fluid nature of membranes, many aspects of their structure and function are poorly understood. Recent advances in nanoscience have created the ability to analyze and manipulate biological structures at nanometer scales. Because of this, the application of nanoscale analytical, computational and synthetic approaches to understanding and manipulating complex biological systems offers incredible potential for scientific advances. It is our belief that nanoscience tools have the ability to better define, image, model and characterize membranes that will provide an improved understanding of these structures. Probing the function of membranes with nanomaterials will lead to the better delivery of drugs and other agents to cells for therapeutic applications, and help to understand membrane-disrupting agents. In this proposal, we will use a multidisciplinary team approach to produce a Concept Development Plan (CDP) outlining issues related to nanoscience applications for the study of membranes and membrane transport. The rate-limiting step in this process is facilitating the productive interaction of diverse scientific disciplines including chemists, physicists, engineers, physicians and membrane biologists. To accomplish this type of interaction, we formed the Center for Biologic Nanotechnology (www.nano.med.umich.edu) in 1998. This has led to the creation a core group of individuals with diverse scientific capabilities that have an extensive history of productive collaboration. We believe that during the concept development award we can use a similar approach, with an even broader range of scientists, to develop topics on nanoscience and membrane biology that need to be addressed and nanoscience approaches to these topics. The application of nanoscience to membrane structure and transport will yield unique scientific discovery and help to improve medical care.