Published-Structural determination of model phospholipid membranes by Raman spectroscopy

Sunghee Lee • January 20, 2022

The research group of Dr. Sunghee Lee at Iona College, New Rochelle, NY, has just published a peer-reviewed education article, titled “Structural Determination of Model Phospholipid Membranes by Raman Spectroscopy: Laboratory Experiment”, appearing in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, a publication of Wiley (https://doi.org/10.1002/bmb.21603)

 

This article provides an experimental module designed to understand cell membranes through integrated concepts of chemical structure, molecular interactions, and membrane structural properties, using Raman spectroscopy of model cell membranes.

 

The main analytical tool used to investigate these systems is confocal Raman microspectrometer, an instrument acquired via a National Science Foundation (NSF)-Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) grant award (NSF-MRI-1427705). Since its introduction, the confocal Raman microspectrometer has been a central workforce for the enhancement of research and education at Iona College.

 

Many research papers in peer-reviewed journals have been published in recent years using confocal Raman spectrometer from the research group of Dr. Sunghee Lee, including "Ibuprofen and the Phosphatidylcholine Bilayer: Membrane Water Permeability in the Presence and Absence of Cholesterol" and "Molecular Organization in Mixed SOPC and SDPC Model Membranes: Water Permeability Studies of Polyunsaturated Lipid Bilayer".

 

However, the publication of this article has a special meaning, because, as an educational article, its techniques can be readily implemented to enhance students learning in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and related sciences such as Biophysics and Cell Biology, and has great potential for wide dissemination to the education community.

 

This project is a result of diligent work over the course of many years, and is coauthored by five undergraduates, Joseph Giancaspro (’20 Biochemistry), Patrick Scollan ('21 Biochemistry), Juan Rosario ('21 Biochemistry), Elizabeth Miller (’19 Biochemistry), Samuel Braziel (’18 Chemistry), under the guidance of Dr. Sunghee Lee. Samuel Braziel is the founding member of the Raman project, and who spent the most of his undergraduate research time to establish the protocols and initial parameterization, is now full-time employed in industry as an analytical scientist. Both Elizabeth Miller and Joseph Giancaspro, who dedicated themselves to developing optimum conditions of the method, are in Medical School, and Patrick Scollan (MS program in science education) and Juan Rosario (heading to Medical School) improved the application to the cell membrane models. This is truly an amazing harmonious team effort. Congratulations to the team!

Celebrating Excellence: A Big Congrats to the Project Symphony

By Sunghee Lee • April 17, 2025
I’m so excited to congratulate and celebrate the amazing achievements of our undergraduate research group, the Project Symphony, at this year’s Iona Scholars Day! You all worked incredibly hard, and it really showed. The presentations covered a wide range of interesting and impactful projects that not only highlight your academic skills but also your passion for learning and discovery. Each project was a great example of your creativity and dedication. What stood out the most was how engaged and enthusiastic everyone was about their research. Your energy was contagious, and it was clear you’ve really connected with your topics and learned a lot along the way. A huge shoutout to each of you for your fantastic presentations. Your hard work and passion for research really set you apart, and I’m so proud of everything you’ve accomplished. I’m confident you’ll keep doing great things and making a real impact in your fields. Once again, congrats to everyone on a successful Iona Scholars Day!

Published: Project symphony-Composing a masterpiece in a science laboratory

By Sunghee Lee • March 14, 2025
In this Backstory, Dr. Lee and her students and recent graduates reflect on the development and experiences that shaped their journey through Project Symphony and the resulting skills they’ve learned. The symphony they’ve created together is a testament to the transformative power of collaborative undergraduate research – a melody of discovery that continues to evolve and inspire. You can read the full article here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004225001464

Exciting News: Our Latest Research Published in Langmuir!

By Sunghee Lee • January 29, 2025
We are thrilled to announce the publication of our collaborative research in Langmuir, the journal of the American Chemical Society. Our paper, titled “Electrophysiological Characterization of Monoolein-Fatty Acid Bilayers,” represents a significant milestone in our ongoing investigation of electrical property of model cell membranes. As an open-access article, our research is now freely available to the scientific community and the public. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c03814 This publication is the culmination of a fruitful collaboration with the research team at University of Tokyo, Japan. The lead author, Caroline Scott (Class of 2025), performed the experiments along with Riley Porteus (Class of 2024, now in a PhD program at Virginia Tech), building on her invaluable experience gained during a summer research trip in Japan last year, made possible by National Science Foundation. Caroline's dedication and perseverance have finally come to fruition. We look forward to continuing our work and sharing more news in the future!
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