Research Keyword Development of nanoscale systems to study intracellular signaling.

A crucial challenge in biomedical engineering in the coming decade is to determine the activities and functional relationships of biological molecules within the complex cellular networks that comprise biological systems. Current research in Dr. Allbritton's lab is directed at the quantitative analysis of these molecular circuits within living cells.

Many of these elements are expected to function in a fashion similar to those comprising electrical circuits i.e. as switches, filters, thresholders, opamps, and other transducers. However, to accurately measure the complex interrelationships of the elements in the biologic systems, measurements must be performed on individual cells with their signaling pathways intact. Unfortunately the technology to perform the necessary measurements in single cells is extremely limited. For this reason, much of research in the lab focuses on the development of novel technologies. These include development of: 1) a second messenger biosensor to quantitatively measure inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) in cells, 2) a method and device (the laser-micropipette system) to quantitatively measure the activation of enzymes in single cells, 3) a microfluidics device for cancer screening, 4) an integrated microchip platform for chemical analysis of single cells, and 5) a nanoscale fabric constructed with modular DNA components. Application of these new technologies to biologic systems will enable the molecular circuitry of cells to be dissected.