BME Seminar: Kanika Vats, Ph.D.
Assembly and Characterization of Complex Biomimetic Membranes
Postdoctoral Recruit to The Therapeutic Biomaterials Laboratory and to the University of Rochester Materials Interdisciplinary Research Team, Department of Biomedical Engineering
Abstract
Biomembranes are complex and heterogeneous dynamic systems, which play vital role in numerous cellular processes such as signaling and membrane trafficking. Model membranes provide simpler alternative platforms for studying biomembrane dynamics under well-controlled environments. In this seminar, an assembly of complex biomimetic systems based on supported lipid bilayers is presented. Molecular level information about lipid-protein and lipid-lipid interactions is deciphered from these biomimetic systems using fluorescence microscopy and correlation spectroscopy. Data obtained through these studies establishes that chemically well-defined biomimetic membranes can yield molecular level insight into fundamental cellular processes.