Protein Engineering

About the research
The hottest area in applied biophysics is perhaps the research of biomacromolecules such as protein and DNA. These researches broaden our understanding of how protein and DNA functions and interacts, which are not only beneficial to our understanding of basic biological principle, but contribute to biomedicine as well. Because the research is so closely connected to issues of medical care, and recently the world is threatened by widely spread diseases such as H1N1 virus, the government attaches great importance to developing its health system. Such research is easier than other projects to be funded by national science foundation. Therefore, protein engineering, which is closely related to monomolecular research, is one main focus of my lab.

Intro
Optical tweezers is a useful tool to research the property of biological monomolecular. Current applications include protein folding, mechanical properties of DNA, DNA transcription, interactions between proteins, and the research of molecule motor-driven protein. Based on the advantage of established system on optical tweezers in our lab, we can use this special tool, as well with other technology, to do some research in the above application.

My research
I have not taken part in the protein engineering project because it is a bit difficult for an undergraduate to undertake. Prof Li Yinmei originally wants to offer me the chance if my work on laser ablation reaches expectation. But now I have been distributed to another project - Investigation on rheological properties of amphiphilic block copolymers by optical tweezers. So my undergraduate dissertation and remaining research would be focused on physics and the technology of optical tweezers. Though l might attach less biology from now on, I still want to seek the opportunity abroad in my graduate study.