SMART-BIO LAB at UNIV. of FLORIDA

Soft Matter Self-Assembly and Recombinant Technology
for Next-Generation Biomaterials

Our group seeks to provide fundamental and practical insights into the field of bioinspired soft materials. We develop engineering strategies to control the self-assembly behavior of bio-macromolecular building blocks, including functionally folded fusion proteins, self-assembling polypeptides, and/or block copolymers, in dilute aqueous solutions or at the solid/water interface. We leverage recombinant technology to rationally design and engineer potential fusion protein building blocks, aiming at mimicking sophisticated natural functions in synthetic materials. We apply the knowledge in polymer physics (i.e., thermodynamics and kinetics behind phase separation of block copolymers) for creating new fusion protein-assembled materials. We also investigate the biomaterials-cell interactions. We currently focus on multi-compartmentalized protein vesicles and nanostructured thin films to utilize them for the development of artificial cells and bactericidal surfaces, respectively.

​See more details at Research, Publications

Colloid & Surface Science

​Fundamental Study of
Protein Vesicle Membranes

Self-Assembled Materials

Creation of New Suprastructure
​​in Solution & Thin Films

Functional Coatings

Engineering Functional Thin Films
​with Fusion Proteins