Project Abstract

I currently have projects in 4 areas for which I have funding and a need for students: biosensors for neurotransmitters, submicron protein capsules called vaults, novel enzymes for aromatic synthesis in extreme thermophiles, and user-defined surface patterning at the molecular scale. The biosensor work is conducted in collaboration with neuroscientists who are studying Parkinson's disease. It is a NIH funded project.

Recently, we commenced study of submicron protein capsules called vaults in collaboration with UCLA chemists, biochemists, molecular biologists and material scientists.  These vaults may also be useful for nanoparticle synthesis as well as for drug delivery.

We are looking for novel, highly stable enzymes for aromatic synthesis in an NSF-funded project. This project involves the culture of an extreme thermophile at ~85 °C, isolation and characterization of novel enzymes, cloning of genes, and expression of recombinant proteins. We also are developing new techniques in functional proteomics for the rapid identification of novel enzymes and their genes.

Finally, the nanopatterning work is an Office of Naval Research-funded project to develop an entirely new way to pattern surfaces with a feature size of ~2-3 nm. The current state-of-the-art is ~100 nm.

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