Research in Biomolecular Imaging

Imaging methods studied by program faculty include:

• Single molecule fluorescence microscopy
• Confocal fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and fluorescence lifetime imaging
• 2-photon fluorescence microscopy
• Live cell and live animal fluorescence imaging
• Quantum dot imaging
• X-ray crystallography
• Visualization, computer graphics and geometric modeling

Areas of biomedical research represented in the program include

• Enzyme structure and catalytic mechanism
• Biochemical basis of alcoholism
• Molecular basis of protein-nucleic acid interactions
• Cell biology of the cytoskeleton and endocytosis
• Kidney and cardiovascular diseases and diabetes

Molecular Imaging

Faculty members whose research is focused toward understanding the nature of biologic processes at the molecular level.

William Bosron - Enzymes involved in ethanol and cocaine metabolism are studied using a combination of techniques; steady-state and stopped-flow presteady-state kinetics, fluorescence measurements, and X-ray crystallography. (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)

Ricardo Decca - Our research revolves around the use of Near-field Scanning Optical Microscopy (NSOM) to investigate the properties of condensed matter systems at the nanoscale. The main themes behind our research are to better understand how light interacts with matter in dimensions smaller compared with the wavelength of light and from the interaction to infer the properties of the system under study. (Physics).

Millie Georgiadis - X-ray crystallography; Research in my laboratory is directed toward understanding the role of protein-nucleic acid interactions in such fundamental biological processes as replication, nuclear export, and regulation of gene expression. Our approach is to integrate X-ray crystallographic studies with complementary biochemical studies. (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology).

Thomas Hurley - X-ray crystallography; Structure and function of alcohol metabolizing enzymes and enzymes involved in glycogen synthesis. (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology).

Christoph Naumann - The physical characterization of membranes involving studies of the lateral diffusion of phospholipids and membrane proteins via single molecule fluorescence microscopy and experiments related to structural analysis using neutron reflectivity. (Chemistry)

William Stillwell - Studies the effect of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A and E, and, plant hormones on membrane structure and function. (Biology)

Hiroki Yokota - DNA Imaging and Bioinformatics: Development of imaging methods for characterizing individual DNA molecules using fluorescence microscopy and scanning probe microscopy.  Molecular Mechanics: Molecular analysis and modeling of cell's response to mechanical stimuli. (Anatomy and Cell Biology).

Cellular Imaging

Faculty members whose research is focused toward understanding the nature of biological processes at the cellular and cell ultrastructural level.

Simon Atkinson - My research aims to understand how a cell's shape, its physiology and its motility are affected by signals and injuries that change the organization of actin. A major focus is the role of rho family GTPase signaling and regulation of actin binding proteins. (Nephrology).

Robert Bacallo - My scientific focus has centered on the question as to how epithelial cells organize to form a functioning epithelium. (Nephrology).

Edward Berbari - Biomedical engineering and intrumentation. (Engineering).

Glenn Bohlen - Our research explores the role of endothelial cell regulation in control of the normal intestinal vasculature during the process of nutrient digestion and absorption. (Cellular and Integrative Physiology).

Kenneth Dunn - The function of an epithelium depends upon the polar distribution of transporters and receptors on either the lumenal or basal side of the monolayer. We have shown that endocytosis is critically important to this polarity as the apical and basolateral membranes of epithelial cells are continuously and thoroughly intermixed in endosomes where proteins are sorted for return to the proper domain of the plasma membrane. (Nephrology).

Jeffrey Elmendorf - The molecular mechanism by which the hormone insulin regulates glucose transport into muscle and fat cells is my major research interest. (Cellular and Integrative Physiology)

Shiaofen Fang - Visualization, Computer Graphics and Geometric Modeling. (Computer and Information Science).

Vincent Gattone - Our laboratory studies cellular and molecular pathogenesis of various renal diseases including polycystic kidney disease (PKD) and immunodeficiency virus associated nephropathy. (Anatomy).

Marshall Montrose - Many of our interests center on exploring acid/base and ion transport mechanisms in gastrointestinal tissues. We have recently discovered that confocal and two-photon microscopy can visualize the dynamic regulation of ionic microenvironments both inside and outside cells in vitro and in vivo. (Physiology)

Alonso Moreno - Physiological modulation of cell to cell communication; structure-function studies on Cardiac Gap Junctions. (Cardiology and Cellular and Integrative Physiology).

Fredrick Pavalko - Our research is focused on understanding the role of the actin cytoskeleton and actin filament interactions with integrins in transducing those signals into changes in cell physiology. (Cellular and Integrative Physiology).

Mihran Tuceryan - (Computer and Information Science).

Wiltz Wagner - Our resesearch is focused on the microscopic gas exchange vessels and how blood flow is controlled in the lung capillaries. (Anesthesia).

Weiming Yu - Membrane and protein dynamics, single molecule spectroscopy and microscopy, viable cell and tissue imaging, quantitative and functional microscopy, and fluorescence microscopy instumentation. (Nephrology).