Single Molecular Force Spectroscopy Laboratory

Dr. Piotr E. Marszalek

Mechanical properties of single molecules and clusters of atoms are of utmost importance in biology and nanotechnology. We are interested in plastic and elastic deformations in inorganic atomic clusters that form nanowires or organic clusters that form flexible, ring-like molecules (e.g. glucose). Of particular interest to us are the elastic properties of single biopolymers such as polysaccharides, DNA or proteins and their force-induced conformational transitions (e.g. chair to boat transitions in sugar rings). Our main experimental methodology is atomic force microscopy (AFM) that allows us to manipulate mesoscopic scale systems and even single molecules. We model mechanical properties of atomic clusters using quantum mechanics and molecular dynamics methodologies.