Invited Paper AS+BI+NS-WeM3
Integrated Imaging: Probing Molecular Interactions by Correlated Atomic Force Microscopy Approaches

Wednesday, November 2, 2011, 8:40 am, Room 102

The development of powerful single molecule functional imaging tools has been critical to our understanding of molecular dynamics and structure-function relationships in (bio)molecular systems. Our lab’s focus on the design, implementation, and application of coupled imaging and spectroscopy is providing intriguing insights into the mechanisms of membrane disruption, receptor oligomerization, and protein-membrane interactions. We have devised several correlative approaches based on the integration of in situ atomic force microscopy with fluorescence and vibrational spectroscopies for extracting the orientation, conformation, and association dynamics of membrane-associated proteins in model membranes and in live cells. Some of the key challenges and opportunities afforded these new tools will be discussed.