• Biomolecular Systems
• Dynamical Systems
• Neural Systems
• Nanosystems

Biomolecular Systems

Research on biomolecular systems extends over a range of biological systems, including molecular interactions from viruses as well as prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. The methods used to examine these interactions include single molecule force spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, femtosecond spectroscopy, nuclear resonance vibrational spectroscopy, infrared crystallography, as well as various types of biochemical analysis methods.

Collaborations between CIRCS members have resulted in several important interdisciplinary discoveries. Examples of active collaborations include:

Characterization of the E. coli alpha polymerase subunit interactions with DNA using optical tweezers and polymerization assays (Penny J. Beuning and Mark C. Williams)

Atomic force microscopy and single molecule optical tweezers studies to elucidate the mechanism by which high mobility group proteins alter DNA flexibility to facilitate transcription (Mark C. Williams and Nathan Israeloff)

Probing the mechanism governing heme protein-ligand dynamics (J. T. Sage and Paul M. Champion)