Functional and functionalized membranes

功能性和功能化膜

• 批准号: RGPIN-2021-03926
• 负责人: Rheinstadter, Maikel
• 金额: $ 2.99万
• 依托单位: McMaster University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2021-01-01 至 2022-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=742786
• 关键词: Functional; functionalized; membranes

During the past Discovery funding periods, our lab has established a successful, productive, and nationally, and internationally recognized research program in biological physics. We run an effective training program for HQP on all levels. Our goal is to train a minimum of 2 high school, 36 undergraduate, 3 Master's, and 4 PhD students during the next funding period. Students will develop soft skills, such as project management, analytical, presentation and communication skills, and learn to work in wet and dry lab, to use state-of-the-art research equipment, and develop computational skills. This skillset of hands-on problem solving, and analytical skills will prepare them for graduate and professional schools, and a variety of professional careers. Our long-term objective is to contribute to the understanding of cell membranes from a lipid perspective using experiments and computer simulations. Using our new, physiologically relevant red blood cell (RBC) based membrane assay, we will better understand membrane properties, their interaction with small molecules, drugs, peptides and proteins, and relevant processes in cell membranes that can be related to neurogenerative and infectious diseases - this is the "Functional Membranes" aspect of the proposal. We will use this knowledge and our expertise in manipulating membranes to fabricate membranes with specific properties for applications, such as bacteria and virus sensing, and drug delivery - in the "Functionalized Membranes" aspect of this project. We will investigate antiviral and antibiotic properties of our erythroliposomes by embedding antibodies and encapsulating antibiotics. Our goal is to fully develop and exploit our RBC membrane assay as a physiologically relevant in-vitro membrane model. We will study the organization of nucleotides and RNA and DNA fragments in contact with biological surfaces, clays and inorganic salts to investigate if RNA-polymers can form under prebiotic conditions, in the absence of proteins or enzymes. This research will be conducted in the new Origins of Life Laboratory. We will use the Planet Simulator to create different early-Earth and early planetary environments, including thermal and hydration cycling, to test the hypothesis if protocells can have formed in warm little ponds. I strongly believe that equity and diversity enhance research productivity. Out of the different equity deserving groups, a major goal of this research program is to increase the number of female students in physics. My lab already trains a relatively large percentage (65%) of female students. We will further improve our efforts by (1) providing an inclusive, respectful and harassment free environment, by (2) creating successful female role models, and (3) a smart recruitment strategy by attracting students from the large pool of female students interested in biology and health-related topics. Social media will be used for recruitment to reach out in an unbiased way.

在过去的发现资金期间，我们的实验室建立了一个成功，富有成效和国际认可的生物物理学研究计划。我们在所有级别上为HQP开设了有效的培训计划。我们的目标是在下一个资金期间至少培训至少2名高中，36名本科生，3名硕士和4名博士学位学生。学生将发展软技能，例如项目管理，分析，演示和沟通技巧，并学习在湿和干实验室工作，使用最先进的研究设备并发展计算技能。动手解决问题的技巧和分析技能将为研究生和专业学校以及各种职业职业做好准备。我们的长期目标是使用实验和计算机模拟从脂质的角度从脂质的角度理解细胞膜。使用我们新的，生理上相关的红细胞（RBC）膜测定法，我们将更好地了解膜特性，它们与小分子，药物，肽和蛋白质的相互作用，以及细胞膜中的相关过程，这些过程可能与神经生成性和感染性疾病有关，这是“功能性膜的功能”。 我们将在操纵膜上使用这些知识和我们的专业知识来制造具有特定特性的膜，例如细菌和病毒感测和药物输送 - 在该项目的“功能化膜”方面。我们将通过嵌入抗体和封装抗生素来研究促红色脂质体的抗病毒和抗生素特性。我们的目标是充分开发和利用我们的RBC膜分析作为生理相关的体外膜模型。我们将研究与生物表面，粘土和无机盐接触的核苷酸，RNA和DNA片段的组织，以研究在没有蛋白质或酶的情况下是否在益生元条件下形成RNA聚合物。这项研究将以生命实验室的新起源进行。我们将使用行星模拟器创建不同的早期和早期行星环境（包括热和水合循环），以测试假设是否可以在温暖的小池塘中形成原始细胞。 我坚信公平和多样性可以提高研究生产力。在应得的股票中，该研究计划的主要目标是增加物理学的女学生的数量。我的实验室已经训练了相对较大的女学生（65％）。 （1）通过（2）创建成功的女性榜样，以及（3）通过吸引对生物学和与健康相关的主题感兴趣的大量女性学生的学生，通过（2）创建成功的女性榜样来进一步改善我们的努力。社交媒体将用于招聘以公正的方式伸出援手。