Jacob Schmidt, University of California-Los Angeles
Intellectual merit
Studying ion channels at the single molecule level commonly requires in vitro reconstitution of a lipid bilayer, a delicate process requiring specialized apparatus and expertise. Once formed, the bilayers are fragile and cannot be moved, necessitating their formation at the time and point of use. Because of these factors, specialists are the only practitioners of this technique. This is unfortunate because membrane and ion channel measurements are often simple to execute and interpret. Laboratory access to these systems by students typically occurs in upper level undergraduate or graduate major courses, an unnecessary limitation in the view of the Principal Investigator (PI).
Recently, the PI has developed a high freezing point membrane composition enabling bilayer selfassembly to be reversibly interrupted. When frozen before bilayer formation is complete, the bilayer precursor is sufficiently robust to enable shipping. The subsequently thawed membranes resemble conventionally formed membranes in every way and can also support measurements of ion channels at the single molecule level. The PI plans to further develop this frozen membrane technology, find optimal solution conditions and substrate materials that maximize yield and minimize formation time.
Broader impacts
This project has a very large broader impact component. For the work on the project itself, the research and training of one graduate and one undergraduate student will be supported. The results of the project will be published and presented publicly at scientific meetings. The most significant component of the impact lies in the creation of an inexpensive and easy to use a tool for ion channel experimentation that will be accessible by high school students not only with respect to their background and experience but also because the apparatus and supplies have very low cost. The PI thinks that this technology has the potential to make a very large impact on high school science curricula as it will add capabilities that were not possible before from an expertise and cost perspective.
