ChE Seminar Series: Learning about Biological Interactions, Recognition, and Targeted Delivery Through Surface Forces

ChE Seminar Series Presents:

Dr. Tonya Kuhl

Professor and Chair, Department of Chemical Engineering, UC Davis

Learning about biological interactions, recognition, and targeted delivery through surface forces

Abstract:

The promoters of cell adhesion are ligands, which are often attached to semi-flexible tethers that bind to surface receptors on adjacent cells. Drug delivery systems, such as Stealth Liposomes, have also attempted to use biological specificity to target therapeutic payloads. Using a combination of Monte Carlo simulations, diffusion reaction theory, and direct experiments (surface force measurements), we have quantified how polymer tethers alter the interaction and binding/capture based on biospecificity (ligand-receptor binding). Experimental and theoretical results as a function of molecular weight and bi-modal distributions will be discussed to enable rational design.

Biography:

Tonya Kuhl, is Professor and Chair of Chemical Engineering, the co-Director of the UC Davis Coffee Center (and co-instructor and developer of ECH 1 “The Design of Coffee”), and a faculty member of the Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering Graduate Groups. Her Bachelors was from the University of Arizona and Ph.D. from UCSB, both in chemical engineering. Her research interests are in the general area of colloidal science, self-assembly, and complex fluids.  In particular, the Kuhl group studies a wide range of systems from surfactants, lipids and proteins to polymer coatings, nanoparticles and confined fluids. The common theme is that “interfaces are where stuff happens”.  Her group studies interfaces by directly measuring the normal interactions (attractive and repulsive) between surfaces and their lateral friction using specialized high resolution force spectroscopy. Complementary x-ray and neutron scattering measurements are used to measure the exact film structure on a molecular level, enabling a fundamental understanding of how surface film structure and experimental conditions yield the measured properties.  Rather than more empirical, “guess and test”, approaches for improvement in properties or functionality – the Kuhl group uses direct measurements and theory to enable predictive modeling and rational design.