Through evolution, Nature has created numerous amazing functional molecular devices of nanometer dimensions. Such nanodevices can perform sophisticated processes with an efficiency that is unravelled by synthetic/artificial systems to date. This lecture will present our bio-inspired approach towards functional nanostrutures designed to be used as therapeutic agents or as nanocomponents for single molecule diagnostics.Our approach is based on the use of helical peptides as molecular scaffolds. To illustrate the approach, we will describe the development of peptide nanostructures that mimick the ion transport properties of ion channel proteins. Such nanostructures can incorporate bilayer membranes and allow the fast translocation of ions. Details will be presented on the synthesis, the characterization of the mode of action and the potential applications of the peptide nanostructures.

Development of functional peptide nanostructures for therapeutic and sensing applications

248th National Meeting (2014)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.