Previous degree(s)
BS, Chemical Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
PhD start year
2017
Award Year
2017
Department/Unit
Chemical & Biomolecular Eng.
Research Advisor(s)
Deborah Leckband
Description of Research
Biotechnology, including biosensors and drug delivery biomaterials, has introduced new possibilities of detecting biological components and treating diseases. However, surface chemical properties have been shown to destabilize the protein leading to biofouling and reducing the efficiency of the biotechnology. My research focuses on identifying material properties that stabilize or shut down protein functions by quantifying folding dynamics from micro-temp jumps and single molecule fluorescence. These direct in situ measurements will identify ‘protein compatible’ design parameters at a level of detail that is not achievable with other existing approaches.
Email
zap2@illinois.edu
Research Area
Bioengineering and Biophysics