|
 | Biography |  |
My research is based on things that happen at the interface between two or more phases. The interfacial region is extremely important for processes as diverse as catalytic reactions in industry and breathing in mammals.
Examples of specific areas of interest are: - Thin films of functional materials - using methods such as self-assembly or the Langmuir Blodgett method, it is possible to deposit films as thin as one molecular layer. By inserting materials with useful properties into the layers, we can make films with desirable qualities. Projects we are currently undertaking include the use of porphyrins for electronic and optical properties, and the use of dendrimers for films which can sense metal ions in solution.
- Protein/lipid interactions in lung surfactant - the process of breathing requires the presence of lung surfactant at the air/water interface that exists in the air spaces of the alveoli. Premature infants do not have surfactant, leading to Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS), which is fatal if not treated. The action of lung surfactant, which is a complex mixture of lipids and proteins, is poorly understood, and so attempts to develop good treatments for RDS are hampered. We are using peptide synthesis and expression methods to study the crucial interactions between the major proteins and other components of lung surfactant.
- Studying ultra thin films is difficult, and sophisticated methods need to be used. We routinely use advanced X-ray and neutron methods, and have developed new ways to use synchrotron light in the detailed investigation of films and interfacial processes.
|
» Contacts
