Leveraging single-molecule methods
To dissect DNA- and chromatin-based molecular machines.
Welcome to the Laboratory of Nanoscale Biophysics and Biochemistry
We design assays to directly observe how nanoscale macromolecules, operating at minuscule energy ranges, assemble, move, and collide with exquisite sensitivity and precision.
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Dissecting protein-DNA interactions at the single-molecule level
A myriad of DNA-binding proteins carry out their biological function by recognizing specific shapes and structures of DNA or by actively altering the DNA configuration through force generation.
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Uncovering a nucleosome-centric paradigm for genome function
The nucleosome’s unique topology and its hierarchical organization into chromatin predict a multifaceted regulatory repertoire encoded by its physical traits.
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Visualizing motor trafficking and collisions on DNA
Genomic DNA is a crowded track shared by many motor proteins and decorated with a plethora of roadblocks. Proper traffic management is critical to the maintenance of genome integrity and control of gene activity.
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Developing SEnd-seq to map full-length transcripts in bacteria
In parallel to developing in vitro single-molecule assays to visualize genomic machines in action, we also sought to understand their behavioral patterns in vivo on a genome-wide scale.
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Using single-molecule methods to study the mechanisms of diverse biological processes
Leveraging the power of single-molecule techniques, these studies provide mechanistic insights into dynamic, diverse biological processes that are obscured in bulk assays due to ensemble averaging.
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Single-molecule reviews
Single-molecule techniques are frequently chosen for their unique capability of following transient and heterogeneous molecular events in an asynchronous population, delineating the behavior of individual molecules in exquisite detail.
The lab is composed of multidisciplinary scientists who share a passion for dissecting the intricate dynamics of the molecules of life. We are home to students and scholars who are interested in a career at the interface of chemistry, biology, and physics.