The Carlini Group focuses on breaking down barriers between endogenous biochemical signals and exogenous soft materials for the fabrication of smart devices.
Physical foundations of macromolecular technology: self-assembly, polymer mechanics and stability, energy transport, diffusion, and DNA-based nanotechnology.
The role of radicals in enzyme catalysis and degradation, development of electron bifurcating flavoproteins, and biogeochemical redox cycling of phosphorus.
My lab is interested in understanding the brain-wide, multi-sensory information processing and integration that underlies how the brain enables navigational decisions.
Molecular mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease; structure/function studies on tau using NMR, spectroscopic, biochemical, molecular, and cell biological methods; role of cdk5/p35 in neuronal development and signal transduction.
Cellular communication between bacteria, including mechanisms and biology of contact-dependent growth inhibition; epigenetic gene regulatory mechanisms.
We use high resolution live imaging, synthetic biology and biochemistry to figure out when and where signaling molecules are activated to make these essential decisions. We are motivated by re-wiring macrophage signaling pathways to generate new cancer immunotherapies.
Bio-nano technology including molecular mechanisms controlling self assembly, emergent properties of biomolecular systems from minerals to dynamically tunable color in octopus skin; translation to revolutionary new routes to semiconductors, optoelectronics and energy.
Soft condensed matter theory including biopolymer and biomembrane electrostatics, protein-membrane interactions, biopolymer solutions, and solution properties of conjugated polymers.
Drug development. Nanoparticle-based delivery of siRNA, proteins, and drugs into cells (cancer/embryonic stem cell). Laser-dependent spatio-temporal control of drug targeting.
Molecular biology of animal virus-cell interactions; antiviral innate immunity & mechanisms of interferon action; translational control of gene expression in mammalian cells; and A-to-I RNA editing
Dr. Volkmann’s research focuses on the development and application of innovative new computational, artificial intelligence, and data science tools to bridge information between the atomic and cellular scales
Biochemistry and biophysics of bio-adhesion in marine organisms; bio and nanomechanics of sclerotized composites; liquid crystals and molecular gradients in biomolecular materials.
The Weimbs Lab is centered around two related areas of investigation: Autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease and SNAREs and epithelial cell polarity.