NBTC: Research Areas

Project Summary
The long-term goal of this project is to gain new insight into the dynamics of biological macromolecules, both proteins and nucleic acids. To achieve this goal, we are developing and refining an experimental technique, combining microfabrication with electromagnetic probes of macromolecular conformation. When fully developed, this technology will permit us to monitor microsecond scale conformational changes. The microfabricated mixers we plan to build will access both local and global structural information, using laser and x-ray probes respectively. One focus of this effort is on studying macromolecular (protein or RNA) folding, a mature experimental field. The novelty of our approach arises from our ability to monitor kinetics on short time scales, millisecond and faster, in contrast to more traditional folding experiments that focus on readily accessible time scales, i.e. seconds to hours. A second scientific focus on rapid conformational dynamics will probe the time scale for dynamics that are related to protein function. This project was initiated when L. Pollack joined the faculty in 2000, and has benefited from NBTC student support since May 2002.