Understanding, control, and preparation of self-assembling biomembrane systems at interfaces.

Abstract:
In 1984 it was discovered that the exposure of a solid support to phospholipid vesicle suspensions may lead to the formation of supported phospholipid bilayers (SPB´s). Though SPB´s have now been applied in biosensors, blood-compatible surfaces, medical implant devices, and production of catalytic interfaces, a consistent picture on SPB formation and the parameters influencing the mechanisms and properties of the resulting adsorbed layers are still missing. This proposal aims for a consistent picture onSPB formation by applying five complementary techniques (fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS), time-resolved single molecule fluorescence, ellipsometry, atomic force microscopy, electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis; all available at the JH-Inst) and using a broad choice of materials (supports, lipids, buffers, cholesterol, proteins, probes) and conditions (surface treatment, vesicle preparation, stacking conditions).