Browsing Dissertations and Theses by Subject "Biophysics"
Now showing items 1-20 of 134
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Adrenergic Regulation of Cardiac CaV1.2 via Direct Phosphorylation and the GTPase RAD
Dysregulation of the cardiac fight-or-flight response has been linked to chronic heart failure and arrhythmic disorders. The L-type calcium channel CaV1.2 has a central role in mediating the cardiac fight-or-flight response, ... -
An image segmentation, lineage and analysis tool for bacteria: Applications in cell proliferation and cytoplasmic dynamics.
Because of the stochastic nature and significant cell-to-cell variation of many biological processes, it is essential to analyze a significant number of cells to understand such processes at the single cell level. Such ... -
AN IN VITRO SINGLE MOLECULE FLUORESCENCE ASSAY TO STUDY THE SPINDLE ASSEMBLY CHECKPOINT
Dividing cells rely on a surveillance mechanism at kinetochores called the spindle assembly checkpoint, which emits a diffusible ‘wait’ anaphase signal when kinetochores are unattached or improperly attached to microtubules. ... -
An Interdisciplinary Investigation of Conformational Changes in Quasi-Crystalline Protein Array R-bodies in Response to pH
R-bodies are ribbon-like protein polymers that undergo a dramatic conformational change from a tightly coiled form at neutral pH to an extended helical spiral at acidic pH. R-bodies were found in bacterial endosymbionts ... -
Applications of Physical Chemistry in Solar Energy, Membrane Biophysics, and Cultural Heritage
This dissertation records detailed applications of concepts and techniques in physical chemistry to a wide range of systems. Topics include: 1) A review of electrical scanning probe microscopy (SPM) methods for analyzing ... -
Assessing and Improving Computational Models of Protein Thermodynamics and Kinetics
(2013-04-17)The purpose of this thesis is to rigorously assess and improve computational models of protein thermodynamics and kinetics. The first part consists of computational ddG prediction; we explore the performance of protocols ... -
Asymptotic Behaviors and Perturbation Analysis of Stochastic Dynamics and Applications to Complex Systems
The concept of hierarchical structures prevails among scientific points of view on complex systems. From one level to another in a hierarchical structure, with proper scales in both space and time, entire new laws emerge ... -
Biological nanopore MspA for DNA sequencing
(2013-07-25)Unlocking the information hidden in the human genome provides insight into the inner workings of complex biological systems and can be used to greatly improve health-care. In order to allow for widespread sequencing, new ... -
Biological Water: Properties and Role in Muscle Function and Development
Water is the most abundant substance on planet Earth and present in large part of our daily lives. Despite such abundance, liquid water still remains mysterious for we do not understand its structure. Similarly, biological ... -
Biophysical and Structural Approaches to Characterize the Mechanism of P-glycoprotein, a Multidrug Efflux Transporter
P-glycoprotein (P-gp), an ATP Binding Cassette transporter (ABCB1), plays an important role in multidrug resistance in cancers and clinical drug interactions. P-gp utilizes the energy from ATP hydrolysis to drive conformational ... -
Biophysical Approaches for the Development of Stable, Long-Lived, Multi-Functional, and Potent Antibody Therapeutics
Antibody-based proteins have become an important class of biologic therapeutics, due in large part to the stability, specificity, and adaptability of the antibody framework. Indeed, antibodies not only have the inherent ... -
Biophysical mechanisms of the kinetochore-microtubule interface and its regulation during mitosis
Chromosomes carry the genetic information that acts as a "blueprint" for every organism. When cells divide, replicated copies of the chromosomes are segregated into two new cells that are genetic copies of the original. ... -
A Biophysical Rationalization of Type II and Reverse Type I Inhibitor Interactions in CYP450 with Implications for Enzyme Function
(2013-11-14)This work is a characterization of small molecule azole-based inhibitor interactions in cytochrome P450 (CYP) using a complement of biophysical methodologies to provide molecular level details of the underappreciated ... -
Biophysical strategies to inhibit bacterial amyloid formation and undermine biofilm infections
When bacteria dwell in biofilms on the surface of an implanted medical device or surgical site, cells co-associate using a self-produced extracellular matrix (EM), which acts as a layer of protection against antibiotic ... -
Bridging HIV neutralization sensitivities and Env dynamic phenotypes across genetically diverse variants
The envelope glycoprotein (Env) is the sole target for neutralizing antibodies against HIV and the most rapidly evolving, variable part of the virus. High-resolution structures of Env trimers captured in the prefusion, ... -
Broadband Tuning the Voltage Dependence of a Sodium Channel
Mammalian voltage-gated sodium channels are comprised of four homologous domains, each containing a functionally distinct voltage-sensing domain (VSD). In contrast, the bacterial sodium channel NaVAb is a homotetramer, ... -
Chaperone effects on tau amyloid formation
Tau is a microtubule-associated protein that forms insoluble amyloid fibrils in a set of neurodegenerative disorders termed tauopathies, which include Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia, and chronic traumatic ... -
Characterization and Modeling of Spatiotemporal Behaviors in Corals, Elastic Metamaterials and Origami
Spatiotemporal behaviors have been widely found in natural and artificial systems, indicating the movement and dynamics that occur in both space and time. These behaviors have significant impact on numerous fields, including ... -
A characterization of the expression, regulation, and function of the mouse voltage-sensitive phosphatase, Mm-VSP
Voltage-sensitive phosphatases (VSPs) are proteins that directly couple changes in membrane electrical potential to changes in the enzymatic activity of a lipid phosphatase domain. The best characterized activity of VSPs ... -
Characterization of the Structure and Dynamics of Biomimetic Peptides by Solid-State NMR
Diatoms and sponges use proteins, long chain polyamines, and other biomolecules to assemble silica structures of controlled morphology. Investigated here are biosilicification peptides. Under mild conditions, these peptides ...