Research Projects

Design of bio-nano interfaces

In Smirnova group we are developing new and expanding the existing arsenal of Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopic methods for assessing local properties of lipid-nano-structured hybrid materials. This research project focuses on designing new spectroscopic probes and developing experimental methods to investigate the influence of nanostructured support and nano-confinement on properties of biological membranes and the membrane-protein interface. The methodology we develop will be widely applicable to array of novel lipid-nanostructure hybrids that hold promise to open new analytical and technological applications.

We develop new pH-sensitive EPR active probes and labels to enable measurements of proton concentration and local dielectric constant in heterogeneous nanoscale systems.  We want to understand the extent to which nano-confinement of lipid membranes can alter the polarity, water and proton profiles within the phospholipid bilayer and at the protein-lipid interface and potentially disrupt the optimal conditions for the lipid-protein and protein-protein interactions will be investigated.