Conveners
W2-3 Biophysics Outside the Box (DPMB) | Biophysique hors de la boîte (DPMB)
- Melanie Campbell
Cell membranes are complex dynamic structures, and their composition and structure are major determinants of pathology. It is now commonly accepted that the membranes’ physical properties, such as fluidity and thickness, are determining factors for permeability, partitioning of drug molecules, and protein aggregation. Membrane-interacting molecules can in some instances be expected to have a...
Bacteria are under constant threat from viruses, and some bacteria possess adaptive immune systems that provide protection through a genomic 'memory' of past viral infections. In conjunction with viral evolution, this creates a diverse population of bacteria where each cell has a unique viral genomic imprint. The fate of the bacterial population depends on the rate at which memories are...
The RNA world proposed by Gilbert in 1986 envisions that the first genetic polymers that formed on the early pre-biotic Earth were based on RNA polymerization and replication. Ever since, researchers have tried to synthesize RNA without enzymes by using catalysts such as clay, lipids, and inorganic salts. We investigated the formation of RNA by using hot-cold and hydration-dehydration cycles...
High diversity at steady state is theoretically difficult to be attained in well-mixed systems, in which there are only a small number of growth-limiting factors. Broadly speaking, it is related to degrees of freedom present in the system. To account for the rich diversity observed in nature, various mechanisms such as fluctuation and spatial heterogeneity have been proposed. A typical way...
Phytoglycogen (PG) is a compact, dendrimeric and naturally occurring polysaccharide produced in the kernels in sweet corn. PG is soft, porous, bioavailable and nontoxic which makes it ideally suited for applications in human health and nutrition. In the pharmaceutical field, many newly-introduced drugs suffer from poor water solubility and the enhancement of their bioavailability is a major...
