Science
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We
have a decade of experience in nano-scale science of bio-interfaces.
Our scientific goal is to understand the nanoscale interfaces of
biological and synthetic systems for designing novel engineering
materials. Specifically, we focus on the following topics:
- Directional NanoFilms: The growth of spatially organized directional structures is of considerable fundamental interest, since it may provide us with important clues to the way in which anisotropic structures form in Nature. A closer look at complex structures in insect wings and lizard toes reveal organized directional structured features at the microscopic scale. The directional structures in Nature are formed through evolutionary processes, and these complex molecules and features are built using molecular protein machinery. Synthetic nanofilms, that mimic biological materials in their designs, form organized directional structures too. We have demonstrated, for the first time, that directional polymeric nanofilms can be fabricated by an oblique angle polymerization method.
- Nanofilms for Biosensor Development: We are developing a portable, highly accurate, wireless, real time sensor for DNA, RNA and protein detection. The new sensor iis reducing the time and cost for DNA, RNA and protein detection with potential improvements in detection specificity and sensitivity for infectious disease diagnostic, personalized medicine, and point-of-care testing. With our exceptional expertise in materials nanotechnology and collaborations in sensor instrumentations, we are positioned to develop low cost portable devices with high performances.
- Anisotropy at the Biomoleculer Interface: We have developed coarse grained computational models to study interfaces of biomolecules. Comparison with experiments shows that slow and fast modes of proteins are associated, respectively, with function and stability. The theory is applied to several proteins whose structures are given in the protein data bank and agreement is obtained between experimental and computational results. With the same technique, kinetically important residues underlying the formation and stabilization of folding nuclei in proteins were also identified. For example domain motions and folding cores of human immunodeficiency virus protease were accurately identified with this model. We plan to continue working on computational models for applications in protein arrays, drug discovery diagnostics, and biothreat detection.
- Anisotropy at the Solid Interface: We developed a new technique for three-dimensional grain growth simulations that simulate the anisotropic interface migration by a curvature driven motion. This method utilizes gradient-weighted moving finite elements combined with algorithms for performing topological reconnections on the evolving mesh. The comparison between computed results and the experiments provides important details related to grain evolution. Our results showed a strong similarity between growth experiments and anisotropic three-dimensional simulations. This study provides significant information for producing new generations of thin films that will be of great value to the energy and materials related research.
M.C.
Demirel Laboratory
Biointerface Engineering
