Academic Staff

Teaching Responsibilities

Teaching

• CHE2DEV/RWD Nanochemistry
• CHE4HONS Honours Chemistry

Research Expertise

Lipidomics: the chemistry of biomembranes

Membranes are the physical boundaries of cells and sub-cellular structures, preserving cell integrity while also serving as a platform for life functions related to metabolism, sensing and intercellular communication. Phospholipids, organised into a two-dimensional bilayer surface, provide the primary material for the membrane structure, incorporating functional proteins: transmembrane channels that enable controlled passage of chemicals; receptors; and functional enzymes that perform tasks related to e g. respiration and photosynthesis. The emerging interdisciplinary field of lipidomics aims at describing the structural and chemical characteristics of cell membranes deterministic of protein function and activity. While in its native complexity a cell membrane is composed of a range of phospho- and glycolipids, cholesterol, cytoskeletal (e g. actin) fibres, in practice, protein function and activity depends only, or mainly, on the phospholipid components and cholesterol. I study the formation and physicochemical properties of phospholipid bilayers of various composition, with microscopic and microspectroscopic methods. The aim is to create artificial membranes on arbitrary surfaces to mimic the physiological environment of living cells, for applications including the biocompatible coating of implants or autonomous microscopic surgical tools, and providing an in vitro platform for redox enzyme activity (biocatalysis, biosensor) and ionchannel activity (water purification, sensing). PhD projects might be started on any of these sub-fields.

To achieve these goals, my research relies on a biophysical tool base including high resolution atomic force microscopy (acapable of looking at interacting molecules), a method that I also actively develop; quartz crystal microbalance that can measure nanogram mass changes, such as a protein-protein interaction on a surface; and fluorescent microscopy. Thus a PhD project focusing on atomic force microscope development is also possible.