Project Symphony Assemble! First Ever Project Symphony Reunion

Sunghee Lee • October 31, 2022

On Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, a group of young professionals gathered for our first Project Symphony Reunion. These are graduates who participated in NSF-funded research activities since 2009 with Dr. Lee, now contributing to diverse sectors of academia and industry as future leaders.


Considering nearly 8 billion people on earth, it is very special that we are connected together through our unique path of Project Symphony at Iona.



As we look back on the past 18 years of Project Symphony, it reminded us how the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and how much we achieved something that seems “impossible” at first, but we managed to do it. It is all because we are “together” as a harmonious group.


Thank you everyone for all your great contribution!


Exploring Graphene Oxide–Cholesterol Interactions Across Model Membranes

By Sunghee Lee • February 23, 2026
We’re pleased to announce our new collaborative publication, “Study of the Interaction Between Graphene Oxide and Cholesterol Using Different Artificial Membrane Models,” conducted in partnership with colleagues in Italy. This work investigates how graphene oxide—an emerging nanomaterial with biomedical promise—interacts with cholesterol within lipid membranes. By employing various artificial membrane systems, we examined how membrane composition and organization influence these interactions, revealing key insights into the physicochemical mechanisms at play. Our results contribute to a deeper understanding of how nanomaterials engage with biological membranes, providing valuable guidance for the safe and effective design of graphene-based biomedical applications. Congratulations to all team members and our Italian collaborators on this exciting achievement! The full article is available here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021979726002821 .

New Insights into Serotonin’s Relationship with Cell Membranes

By Sunghee Lee • February 23, 2026
In this study, we explored how the membrane environment shapes the behavior of serotonin, a key neurotransmitter involved in mood regulation and neural signaling. By systematically varying lipid composition in model membranes, we uncovered how differences in lipid charge, fluidity, and packing influence serotonin’s nonspecific interactions with bilayers. Our findings shed new light on the physical chemistry of neurotransmitter–membrane interactions, with potential implications for understanding serotonin’s diverse physiological functions and its role in receptor signaling. Congratulations to all co-authors for their outstanding work and collaboration! The article can be accessed here: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsptsci.5c00767

Recent Publication: How Tiny Molecules Shape the Flexibility of Cell Membranes

By Sunghee Lee • November 15, 2025
Our research team has uncovered new details about how small oil-like molecules influence the thickness and flexibility of cell membranes. These membranes, built from layers of lipids, contain tiny pockets of free space that help control how soft, dense, or permeable the membrane is. Our research team found that some smaller molecules can fit into these layers, making the membrane thicker, while larger or crystallizing ones get pushed out, leading to thinning. These changes help explain how different molecules inside a membrane affect its overall structure and function. This study not only expands our understanding of how biological membranes work but also points to new possibilities for creating custom-designed synthetic membranes for research and technology. Read more details here: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jpcb.5c06296 Congratulations to the Project Symphpony team for their exciting findings and continued dedication to advancing membrane science!
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