Published: "Project Symphony" as a Template for Biophysics Education
Sunghee Lee • November 22, 2020
In an article published
in the Journal "The Biophysicst" on Nov. 2020, co-authored by former Project Symphony members, we shared the successful track record of Project Symphony as a template for others to emulate.
This article, the culmination of more than a decade’s work with undergraduate students, presents practices demonstrating that early exposure to the interdisciplinary field of biophysics can be effectively introduced at a primarily undergraduate institution (PUI) level through a well-structured research plan involving undergraduates with different STEM majors.
We thank all current and former members of Project Symphony for their dedication and enthusiasm. This article is dedicated to the memory of our wonderful colleague Mr. Nick Milianta, who recently passed away from complications of coronavirus disease 2019. His technical expertise in all things microscope related allowed us to build our laboratory. His genuine passion for supporting young scientists will be greatly missed.
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 .
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
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!
