The interface between biology, chemistry, and materials science has motivated biomimetic approaches to produce complex, nanometer-scale, hybrid organic/inorganic devices that will provide novel materials for optical, electronic, magnetic, and sensing applications. Multidisciplinary approaches will lead to development of next generation composites built from the molecular level up. One of our research themes is to combine recent advances in nanotechnology with biomimetic approaches to build structures and devices tailored for advanced Air Force concepts. Since biomolecules will be used in fabricating these structures, the biomolecules can be manipulated using molecular biology and protein engineering approaches, making them highly adaptable systems for generating a variety of nanostructures. Understanding the fundamental principles underlying structure-property relationships in biopolymers and applications toward multifunctional materials is also of interest. We also work in the area of bio-based sensing. The creation of lightweight, affordable sensing systems possess quick response time and high sensitivity is important to the DOD. We have been studying how biological systems create highly sensitive sensors and how biological recognition motifs can be introduced into nanoscale materials. Molecular biology and biochemical techniques are used to identify and characterize biomolecules from biological systems of interest. Our engineering efforts focus on creating sensor systems that would achieve selectivity, sensitivity, and response times comparable to those observed in their biological counterparts using either a bio-inspired or bio-derived approach, or in some cases a combination of both of these approaches.

 

Keywords:

Biomimetics; Nanomaterials; Biosensors; Biomaterials; Proteins; Protein engineering; Nano-biomaterials; Biotechnology;

Citizenship:  Open to U.S. citizens

Level:  Open to Postdoctoral and Senior applicants