The Laboratory of Single-Molecule Biophysics focuses on developing single-molecule instrumentation and methodology to make detailed, high-resolution, measurements of biological processes. Ongoing projects include single-molecule measurements of DNA topology and topoisomerases, DNA unwinding by RecQ helicases, and processing of collagen by collagenases (Matrix metalloproteinases). We employ single-molecule fluorescence and single-molecule manipulation (magnetic tweezers and optical tweezers) in addition to conventional biochemical approaches to develop detailed mechanistic understanding of these biological processes. We are also developing fluorescent nanodiamonds for novel imaging and manipulation approaches.

Interns will have the opportunity to acquire skills in sophisticated single-particle tracking approaches, mathematical modeling of enzyme motion and activity, biomolecule functionalization, single-molecule manipulation, in addition to biochemical and molecular biological approaches. Projects available to summer 2019 BESIP interns include the following:

• Analysis and mathematical modeling of high-resolution single-molecule trajectories of collagenase degrading fibrillar collagen
• Development of fluorescent nanodiamonds for biological imaging, tracking, and sensing applications
• Single-molecule measurements of the effects of DNA damage on DNA topology
• Instrument and software design for single-molecule tracking and imaging applications