Theoretical and computational topics at the interface between structural molecular biology and physical chemistry. We apply numerical simulations and modeling methods to describe biologically important molecular processes in a variety of biological systems such as DNA-binding machines.

We study how light interacts with cells and their subcellular organelles. Using this knowledge, we study cell structure and function on the nanoscale and below level.

Our biological research involves biosensing and biodetection using nanoscale electronic circuits. The fabrication of single molecule circuits allows us to monitor, in real time, single proteins interacting with their environment.

Our areas of research include the use of surface plasmon resonance to monitor biopolymer adsorption and the chemical modification of surfaces with self-assembled monolayers for the creation of adsorption-based biosensors.

We study systems that are driven out of equilibrium. Some of the questions focused on in his lab include: how do domains of patterns, such as stripes, evolve in time after a sudden change of an external driving force? Can we use fluctuations in probe particles to understand the response of biologically relevant networks to external stresses? More recently, our lab has begun projects in biological physics that consider the interaction between proteins and monolayers.

Nature is an amazing chemist that is constantly synthesizing and transforming the world around us. Much of this work is done by enzymes, amazing little catalysts made of protein, just like you and me. Like nature, we try to use a controlled flow of electrons to initiate redox catalysis in hybrid heme enzymes. By varying the structures and environments of the hemes, we hope to make unique catalysts for different reactivities. These tailor-made enzymes are intended to perform useful chemical transformations driven simply by electricity or light.

Our research program is directed to determine how molecular structures change in time, at equilibrium and during reactions. Topics of current interest include: the backbone and side chain conformation of peptides and proteins, kinetics of protein folding, and local structure and dynamics of liquids.

The big question my lab addresses is that of protein function: from the recent progress in molecular biology, we either know or will know the entire genomes of many organisms. Thus, we will be able to predict all of the proteins in those organisms. So, how do these proteins function to achieve the desired biological activity? Many different tools are needed to adequately study this problem, so my lab is extraordinarily cross- disciplinary, using biophysical as well as genetic and biochemical approaches.

Our research program focuses upon exploring new concepts and strategies at the interfaces with catalysis and biology for the design of well-defined polymers, biomaterials and nanomaterials. Our current research projects include: Polymer Architecture Design through Catalysis, Biomimetic Supramolecular Polymer Designs, New Biomaterials from Natural Building Blocks, and Self-assembly of Nano Objects into Superlattices.

My research focuses on developing new experimental methods and solutions for nanoscale biomedical problems by using soft lithography, microfluidics and surface chemistry. He is interested in applying the engineering approaches and techniques developed in the semiconductor industry to control and manipulate the microenvironment of cells.

Locally ordered protein networks are biomaterials that have significant short-range order but lack long-range crystallinity. Although these materials are difficult to study because of their compositional heterogeneity, they are central to many interesting biophysical questions. We develop and use modern solid-state NMR methods to investigate biologically relevant protein networks using the 800 MHz NMR spectrometer at UC Irvine.

We employ multimodal nonlinear microscopy tools (CARS/SHG/TPEF) to quantitatively image biological tissues and structures. We are also interested in characterizing the nonlinear optical properties of nanostructures. The third order optical response of nano-compounds is explored by detecting the coherent anti-Stokes electronic signatures of such systems. We use focus-engineered CARS techniques to improve contrast in nonlinear microscopy.

Picosecond time-resolved x-ray diffraction and EXFAS experiments allow our group to determine the structures of ultrashortlived intermediates in chemical and biological reactions in liquids, while subpicosecond kinetics experiments allow us to probe non-linear phenomena of molecules used for 3D optical storage and electronic switching.

Our group focuses on relating the geometrical structure of molecules, proteins, and protein assemblies to their biological functions. In our pursuit, we are guided by the realization that all biological function ultimately relies on the laws of physics properly harnessed by biological assemblies of atoms. Physical modeling of proteins as well as the interactions between proteins furnishes unique insights that complement those gained by comparative or experimental approaches.

Our main interest is in improving NMR techniques and applying them to high field solution experiments from small molecules to very large proteins. We collaborate with structural biologists, organic chemists, crystallographers, and theorists in the search for improved methods to identify and characterize molecular structure and dynamics in solution.

Transport through nanopores and ion channels exists in virtually all biological cells and is important in regulation of heart function, nerve signals, and delivery of nutrients to the cell. Our scientific interests have been focused on fabricating synthetic nanopores with applications in biophysics, and the building of biomimetic sensors. We focus on fundamental physical and chemical phenomena that underlie functioning of biological channels.

Our research involves using atomic-scale computer simulation techniques based on classical and quantum mechanics to study the structure and dynamics of biological molecules and biomimetic materials, and aqueous interfaces with air that are important in atmospheric chemical processes. A substantial portion of our work is devoted to the development, implementation, and optimization of novel simulation methodology and analysis tools.

One of the current challenges in biomaterials research is the design and fabrication of functional nanostructures at progressively smaller length scales. Since biology has been enormously successful in assembling complex nanoscale systems, research in my group couples the principles of self-assembly with nature-inspired macromolecular systems to engineer new materials and therapeutic strategies. The research group is currently investigating (1) the fabrication of inorganic nanoarrays using biological templates, (2) the design of nanoscale protein complexes for molecular transport of molecules, and (3) the development of novel biopolymers for drug delivery.

Our research focuses on laser-induced thermal, mechanical and radiative transport processes for application in medical diagnostics, therapeutics, biotechnology, and micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS).

In collaboration with biologists, I study the biophysics of the transportation system inside a living cell as well as questions in developmental biology using Monte Carlo computer simulations.