Nanoscale Biophysics Group

Research Program

• Scope: Biophysics of lipids and lipid-protein interactions; role of structural changes and physical properties of lipid monolayers and bilayers in controlling biological processes and diseases; application of lipid films in biomedical nanotechnology

• Current Research Projects: role of lipid membrane in amyloid toxicity in relation to Alzheimer's Disease; testing amyloid inhibitor drugs using single molecule atomic force spectroscopy, interaction of antimicrobial peptides with lipid membrane and lung surfactant; lipid-based drug delivery systems, developing novel biosensing platforms using lipid membrane and surface enhanced spectroscopy; quantum neuroscience

• Methods: Optical, Fluorescence and Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM) such as Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy (KPFM) and AFM-based Force Measurements; Langmuir-Blodgett Monolayer Technique; Surface Plasmon Resonance ( SPR), and Black Lipid Membrane (BLM) techniques. 
• Research is funded by: Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF), Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), Ontario Ministry of Research & Innovation

• We are actively looking for commercial partners. Please contact Dr. Zoya Leonenko at zleonenk@uwaterloo.ca!