Current areas of research include the study of ion channels and membrane transporters, micro/nano fabrication, biomimetics, and biosensors.

Recent News . . .

New Paper in PLOS ONE - A recent paper from the lab, "Multivariate Analyses of Amyloid-β Oligomer Populations Indicate a Connection Between Pore Formation and Cytotoxicity," presents data that suggests the ion channel activity of certain aggregate sizes is a mechanism for neuronal cell death in Alzheimer's disease. This knowledge will help researcher's develop therapeutics that prevent amyloid-β pore activity. This work was highligted by UM News (16Oct2012), Futurity, and in a radio interview on WILS 1320. Click here to check out all papers from the lab.

New Paper in PNAS - In collaboration with Dr. Cheri Deng's group of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, we recently published "Spatiotemporally Controlled Single Cell Sonoporation." in Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.. This paper quantifies the dynamic process of ultrasound-mediated cell membrane disruption, or sonoporation, and its ability to deliver molecules to the interior of single cells using whole-cell patch clamp recordings and fluorescence microscopy. This investigation will help sonoporation become an enabling technology for controlled, intracellular delivery of membrane-impermeant molecules. Click here to check out all papers from the lab.

Erik Presents at Biophysical Society's Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA - The annual Biophysical Society Meeting was held in San Diego, CA this year, and among the many great talks was one from Erik Yusko titled "Developing Nanopores with Fluid Walls for Improved, Single Molecule Biosensors." Erik presented new results on quantifying the affinity of a protein ligand interaction, characterizing the shape of IgG antibodies in solution, and sensing amyloid-beta aggregates all by employing nanopores with fluid walls. This work builds on the results we presented in a recent Nature Nanotechnology paper. Congratulations!

Panchika Prangkio Defends Her Thesis - Congratulations to Dr. Panchika Prangkio for successfully defending her thesis titled: Investigation of Cytotoxicity and Ion Flux Induced by Various Aggregation States of Amyloid-beta Peptides. Panchika confirmed that amyloid beta peptides can assemble into ion channels in lipid membranes as she recorded step-wise ionic currents due to single channels. She also correlated ion channel formation with aggregation of amyloid-beta as well as with cytotoxicity. Click here to read her abstract. Click here to see her profile.

Microfluidics in Biomedical Sciences Training Program - Congratulations to Brandon Bruhn for being admitted to the Microfluidics in Biomedical Sciences Training Program. The program brings together students from 20 different departments resulting in an exciting and highly interdisciplinary training atmosphere. Click here to see the full list of awardees in the Biomembrane Lab.

The Nobel Laureate Meetings at Lindau- Congratulations to Erik Yusko for being awarded admittance and travel to the 61st Nobel Laureate Meetings at Lindau (Germany). The meeting brought together 566 young researchers from around the world and 23 Nobel Laureates to discuss topics of global health. The meeting served to "educate, inspire, and connect" all those invloved. Lindau Conference Home. 61st Lindau Nobel Communitity.