Analytical Microscopy Methods for Characterizing Individual Lipid Vesicles

University Of Utah, Salt Lake City UT

Investigators

Abstract

The Analytical and Surface Chemistry (ASC) program of the Division of Chemistry will support the research program of Prof. Joel M. Harris of the University of Utah. Prof. Harris' research program focuses on the development of optical spectroscopic methods to analyze the composition of individual lipid vesicles and measure the rate of permeation of chemical substances across the membrane of these vesicles. An innovative feature of the proposed study is the employment for the first time of confocal Raman scattering to analyze the vesicles chemical composition. The research of Prof. Harris will integrate measurement science with problems that are currently at the frontier of pharmaceutical and biological research and will serve as an ideal platform for inter-disciplinary education. It will provide an excellent educational opportunity for trainees desiring work at the interface of chemistry and biology.