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Overview of the Institute
Past Research
The following list highlights research groups formerly at the Rowland Institute.
Rowland Junior Fellows Alumni
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Zvonimir Dogic - Complex Fluids and Condensed Matter
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The objective of our research is to understand and control the self-assembly
of matter on a colloidal length scale. The basic building blocks used are colloids of
chemical or biological origin with well controlled spherical or rod-like shape and
polymers with varying persistence length. The interactions between these components
are well understood and can be modified in systematic ways. Despite the simplicity of
these building blocks, they assemble into a variety of novel structures with unexpected
complexity, e.g. 2D smectic phases, colloidal membranes, twisted chiral ribbons, and
lamellar and columnar phases. These processes of self-assembly are under
thermodynamic control and we use statistical mechanics to understand the final
equilibrium structures. In the future we intend to study the assembly, phase transitions
and dynamics of colloidal systems under non-equilibrium conditions.
- Jiwoong Park - Nanoelectronics and Nanosensors
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The electrical conductance of many nanoscale materials is strongly affected by a
local electrostatic and electrochemical environment. This unique property can be
utilized to build a nanosensor whose spatial resolution is comparable to the size
of the sensor itself. The objective of our research is to investigate the electron
transport properties of various nanoscale materials, including carbon nanotubes,
semiconducting nanowires and single molecules, and to develop nanoscale sensors
based on them.
Other Alumni
- Steven M. Block - Single Molecule Biophysics
Research in our lab marries aspects of physics and biology to study the properties of proteins or nucleic acids
at the level of single macromolecules and molecular complexes. Experimental tools include laser-based optical traps
("optical tweezers") and a variety of state-of-the-art fluorescence techniques, in conjunction with custom-built
instrumentation for the nanometer-level detection of displacements and piconewton-level detection of forces
- Ava Chase - Animal Behavior
Study complex discrimination tasks in simple animals (fish)
Behavior, Research Methods, Instruments and Computers 31, 470 (1999)
- Dongmin Chen - Nanoscale Quantum Physics
The main thrust of our group is to explore novel quantum phenomena in nanoscale materials using scanning tunneling microscopy in an ultra high vacuum, low temperature and high magnetic field environment.
- Louis Cincotta - Photomedicine and Photobiology
Supramolecular chemistry of the phenothiazine moeity
Design of photosensitizers for the photo-inactivation of viruses
Isolation of anti-cancer agents from natural products
Exploration of tumor immunotherapies through the use of photodynamically generated tumor associated antigens
- Jean-Marc Fournier - Optical Structures
Lippmann photography (historical full-color photography process)
J. Imaging Sc. Tech. 38, 507 (1994)
Very high resolution photosensitive material
Optical trapping
Ultra-sensitive phase imaging microscope
- Lene Vestergaard Hau - Bose-Einstein Condensation and Non-Linear Optics
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Bose-Einstein condensation in a 4 Dee trap
Study of condensate/non-condensate interactions: Phys. Rev. A 58, R54 (1998)
Ultra Slow Light
Non-linear optics using BEC
Speed of light in BEC reduced to 38 MPH: Nature 397, 594 (1999)
- Jeffrey Hoch - Protein Structures and Dynamics
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NMR studies of protein structure and dynamics
NMR data processing
Investigations of protein/water/cosolute interactions
NMR
osmometry
computer simulation
- Amit Meller - Single Molecule Biophysics
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We study the dynamics of individual DNA and RNA molecules threaded through a nanomete
scale pore (“nanopore”). The threading of the negatively charged biopolymers is
made possible by an electric field applied across the nanopore. Controlling the magnitude of
the field in real time allow us to apply a varying force on the molecule and study its
response. In this way we are able to detect the interactions of polynucleotides with proteins,
and study secondary structure formation in RNA. The structure of the single molecule is probed
using time-resolved Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer and single channel ion current
measurements.
- John Osterhout - Protein Folding & Design
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De novo design and characterization of a helical hairpin peptide
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91, 3675 (1994)
Design of 4-helix bundle
- Robert Savoy - Brain Mapping
Using temporal resolution of fMRI to drive novel experimental design
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93, 14878 (1996)
Detecting brain response to voluntary shifts of attention
Neuron 18, 591 (1997)
Commonalities in language processing from words seen or heard
Human Brain Mapping 7, 15 (1999)
- Jay Scarpetti - Stereo Imaging Group
Technique for using ink-jet printer, special inks, substrate to make 3D hardcopy
Proceedings SPIE 3012, 246 (1997)
Commercialization of process
- Diane Schaak - Bacteriophage Therapy
Enhancing bacteriophage therapy
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