1. Kielhorn Research Laboratory Dr. Daniel Forciniti and Friends
Engineering
Biology
Physics
Fibrillation of Insulin and Insulin Fragments
Peptides and Proteins at Solid Liquid Interfaces
Shift in FTIR spectra of Amide I region with time
t = 0 days
t = 42 days
Insulin Fragments
Amyloid Fibrils
pH 1.6, 60°C A C D B
“Philosophy [science] is written in this grand book, the universe, which stands continually open to our gaze … but this book cannot be understood unless one learns to comprehend the language and read the letters in which it is composed.” (Galileo)
Left and Center: Ramachandran plots. A: Alanine; K: Lysine. Left Panel: Helix in water before adsorption. Center Panel: Helix in water after adsorption. Right Panel; Adsorption of diblock peptides on PS latex.
Left Panel: Micrographs showing insulin fragment fibrils stained with Congo Red for A) bovine fragment (BIF) at pH 1.6, 60°C, 1M urea, B) human fragment (HIF) at pH 1.6, 60°C, 1M urea, C) BIF at pH 5, 60°C, 0M urea, D) HIF at pH 5, 60°C, 0M urea. Right: Fibrillation can be easily monitored using FT-IR ATR by following the position of the amide I band
Use of Neutron Scattering in Biology
Computer simulations of alpha helices (Left) and random coils (right) at solid liquid interfaces
SEM micrographs of insulin fibrils in the presence of solid surfaces (Left) and in bulk (Center). Right: Increase in beta sheet structures followed by FT-IR upon fibrillation of human and bovine insulin in bulk and at interfaces.
Purification of Monoclonal Antibodies
Upper Panel: SANS experimental data for human albumin in heavy water and its fitting using Debye spheres. Lower Left Panel: Neutron reflectivity profile of fibrinogen adsorbed on silicon. Lower Right Panel: density profiles of adsorbed fibrinogen.
Left Panel: AFM image of fibrinogen adsorbed on silicon. Right Panel: SEM micrograph of IgG adsorbed on PS latex. The thickness of the adsorbed layer was measured using dynamic light scattering.
Antibodies were expressed in corn and purified by aqueous two phase extraction with interfacial precipitation.