About Our Group
The Mrksich Group uses the tools of organic chemistry, materials science and biochemistry to address important challenges in and at the intersection of chemistry and biology.
We pioneered the development of MegaMolecules – a new way to engineer protein-based molecules with much greater control over their structure and complexity than with traditional techniques. With this approach, we can build structures composed of more than twenty protein domains, with branched, cyclic and dendritic architectures, and with molecular weights that can exceed a million Daltons, for a broad range of basic and applied applications, with an emphasis on biomedical applications such as antibody mimics.
In another program, we emphasize the development of methods to perform high throughput experiments by combining engineered surfaces and mass spectrometry in a technique known as SAMDI-MS. This method has been used extensively to profile enzymatic activity both in situ and in complex lysates while permitting the analysis of tens of thousands of experiments in a day.
Research
Protein Engineering, High-Throughput Experiments, and Surface Chemistry
MegaMolecules
Our group developed the megamolecule platform, which we use to assemble modular, perfectly defined protein structures for many applications, including therapeutic and diagnostic use.
High-Throughput Experiments
Our group utilizes the inert, ordered structure of self-assembled monolayers with MALDI-MS (SAMDI) to profile biological and chemical reactions in a label-free, high-throughput manner.
Surface Chemistry and Cellular Control
Our group previously developed microcontact printing, dynamic photoactivation, and other methods to engineer substrates that control cellular adhesion and behavior.
Funding Acknowledgements
