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Physical Chemistry of Biological Interfaces
Research
in the Webb group seeks to understand and manipulate the mechanisms of
interaction, organization, and self-assembly of biological
macromolecules that lead to the complex and emergent properties of
living systems. We are interested in these topics for two
principal reasons. First, understanding the organization of
biological systems is of vital biomedical importance. Second, we
seek to exploit the weak but long-range interactions involved in
noncovalent organization of biological macromolecules at prepared
surfaces and interfaces with the ultimate goal of integrating
biological and inorganic materials in a controlled and robust manner.Research in the Webb group is multidisciplinary and employes a variety of physical and analytical techniques. We study the physical chemistry of electrostatic fields at protein-protein interfaces using vibrational spectroscopy coupled with computational methods; we prepare and characterize chemically modified surfaces that interact specifically with folded, functional proteins using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and surface spectroscopic techniques; and we use biochemical control over the dynamic behavior of cytoskeletal fibers tethered to patterned surfaces and monitored through optical microscopy. Please visit our reserach page to learn more about specific projects underway in the Webb group. If you would like to learn more or are interested in joining the group, please contact Dr. Lauren Webb. This website is under construction so come back often for updates! |