The Wittenberg group conducts research in bioanalytical chemistry. We are interested in molecular interactions that occur at biological surfaces, particularly lipid bilayer membranes. We also use nanoscale surface patterning techniques to develop high-throughput methods to detect and monitor chemical composition and transport dynamics in biological nanostructures such as synaptosomes, secretory vesicles, and organelles.
Our work makes use of a number of techniques and technologies like optical microscopy, electrochemistry, biosensing, microfluidics, and nanofabrication. Some of our projects involve collaborations with medical researchers and engineers, thus there are ample opportunities for multidisciplinary training and for students to make connections outside of chemistry.
Interested undergraduates, graduate students, and postdocs are encouraged to contact Nate (njw@lehigh.edu) to learn more about our work.
The movie at the left, similar to that on the front page of this website, is of the patterned photobleaching of a fluorescent protein (cholera toxin-FITC conjugate) bound to a planar supported lipid bilayer containing ganglioside GM1. GM1 is the primary cell surface receptor molecule recognized by cholera toxin. These movies were collected using a Nikon Ti-E inverted microscope.
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