The direct molecular interactions between proteins and/or other biologicals serving as receptors and/or ligands are among the major processes ensuring extracellular and intracellular communication in living organisms. Innate and adaptive immunity heavily depend on these processes, which involve direct interactions of receptor molecules on the cell surface with ligands on opposing cells. The organization of ligands and receptors on membrane surfaces is critical for cellular communication and it has been the subject of a long-lasting topic but it is poorly understood and challenging to investigate.
While the physiological cell–cell interactions can be difficult to perform, the use of model systems provides insight into these interactions. The PhD project will focus on developing a lipid-based biointerface (tBLM, tethered bilayer lipid membranes) which will serve primarily as a matrix for reconstituting ligands. tBLM composition could affect ligand distribution and density and might also collaborate in defining the biophysical and biochemical complexity of native membranes. The ligand functionalized-tBLM platform will be studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), surface plasmon resonance (SPR), atomic force microscopy (AFM) methods, and fluorescence methods.