Zoya Leonenko

• Biophysics of lipids and lipid-protein interactions
• The role of structural changes and physical properties of lipid template in controlling biological processes and diseases
• Application of lipid films in biomedical nanotechnology
• Fluorescence and atomic force microscopy
• Kelvin probe force microscopy
• Single molecule force spectroscopy

Studying Biophysics of Lipids and Lipid-Protein Interactions

Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM) methods, including atomic force microscopy, provide a powerful way for imaging and manipulations of matter at the nanoscale and are especially useful in life sciences and bionanotechnology. Professor Leonenko’s research program employs SPM methods to study biophysics of lipids and lipid-protein interactions, the role of structural changes and physical properties of lipid template in controlling biological processes and diseases.

Investigation of Lipid Membrane as an Important Part of Every Living Cell

Amyloid fibrils are insoluble protein aggregates that associated with several neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. Professor Leonenko’s research team studies the structure and physical properties of the model and cell membrane in relation amyloid fibril formation and toxicity. These studies will aid in understanding of complex mechanism of amyloidoses and will help to develop novel methods for early detection and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease.

Additional Research Projects

Professor Leonenko’s research group will also investigate the following:

• structure and function of pulmonary surfactant and interaction of surfactant with nanoparticles 
• application of lipid films in biomedical nanotechnology and biosensor development
• interactions of nanoparticles with lipid membrane and development of novel scanning probe force microscopy methods and novel applications of these methods for bio-and -nanotechnologies

• PHYS280, Introduction to Biophysics
• PHYS461, Nanophysics
• NANO702, Nanotechnology Tools

Cordova G., Lee B., Leonenko, Z.  Magnetic Force Microscopy for Nanoparticle Characterization. NanoWorld Journal (1) 2, pp. 10-14.

Liu, G., Zhao, S., Henderson, R., Leonenko, Z., Abdel-Rahman, E., Mi, Z., Ban, D. Nanogenerators Based on Vertically Aligned InN Nanowires. Nanoscale (4) 8, pp. 2097-2106.

Hane, F., Hayes, R., Lee, B., Leonenko, Z. Effect of Copper and Zinc on the Single Molecule Self-Affinity of Alzheimer's Amyloid-β Peptides. PLoS ONE (1) 11, pp. e0147488

Robinson, M., Lee, B., Leonenko, Z.  Drugs and Drug Delivery Systems Targeting Amyloid-β in Alzheimers Disease. AIMS Molecular Science (3) 2, pp. 332-358.

Hagedorn, S., Drolle, E., Lorentz, H., Srinivasan, S., Leonenko, Z., Jones, L.  Atomic Force Microscopy and Langmuir-Blodgett Monolayer Technique to Assess Contact Lens Deposits and Human Meiban Extracts. Journal of Optometry (3) 8, pp. 187-199.

Please see Google Scholar for a complete list of Professor Leonenko's publications.

• 2012, Invited Professorship Award, University of Burgundy
• 2007-2012, NSERC University Faculty Award

• Professor,  Department of Biology, University of Waterloo
• Member, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology

• 2013-present, European Network on Applications of Atomic Force Microscopy to NanoMedicine and Life Sciences, member

• 2013-present, European Biophysical Societies Association member

• 2013-present, Canadian Chemical Society, member

• 2011-present, Journal PLoS ONE, editor
• 2011-2012, Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, Associate Editor
• 2010-present, Journal of Nano-Biomedicine and Engineering (member of founding committee and editorial board), Editor

1996 PhD Chemical Physics, Institute of Chemical Kinetics and Combustion, Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia

1985 MSc Chemical Physics, Novosibirsk State University, Russia Institute of Solid State Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia

1985 BSc Chemical Physics, Novosibirsk State University, Russia Institute of Solid State Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia