Research
interests
Biological systems
precisely create and order structures on the nanoscale, endowing
a variety of functionalities upon these assemblies. My research
focuses on genetically re-engineering microbes to create and
assemble novel nanostructured materials, particularly those with
potential applications in renewable energy and environmental
remediation technologies. In doing so, we face key challenges:
Can we preserve in vivo self-assembly
of biomolecules to use in vitro systems? Can we make seamless
interfaces between living systems and non-living systems?
Current projects:
- Electrical connections to living
cells
Recently, multiple groups have reported that a variety of bacterial
species form bacterial nanowires - conductive filaments, on the
order of one hundred nanometers in width and many microns in
length. These structures are unique in their apparent ability
to transport electrons from the intracellular space to an electrode
microns away. Taking these structures as inspiration, we are
creating a set of genes that will re-program a host cell to will
produce artificial bacterial nanowires. These high surface area
living conductors will open new doors in the areas of biosensing,
electrical manipulation of cellular function, and higher efficiency
conversion of bio-energy to electrical energy.
- Bio-molecular recognition for nanostructure self-
assembly
Ordering of nanostructures into well-defined assemblies is one
of the most exciting challenges in nanoscience. Starting with
DNA folded into nano-sized breadboards, we are using molecular
recognition of DNA by proteins to functionalize this scaffold
with protein-based nanostructures. This will allow us access
to structures with both short-range and long-range order, and
geometries which can dynamically re-programmed with small molecules.
Selected publications:
- Ajo-Franklin, C. M.; Drubin, D. A.; Eskin,
J. A.; Gee, P. S; Landgraf, D.; Phillips, I., Silver, P. A, “Rational
Design of Memory in Eukaryotic Cells.” Genes Dev., in press.
- Ajo-Franklin, C. M.; Ganesan, P. V.; Boxer, S.
G. “Variable Incidence Angle Fluorescence Interference Contrast
Microscopy for z-Imaging Single Objects.” Biophys. J. (2005),
89, 2759-2769.
- Ajo-Franklin, C. M.; Ganesan, P. V.; Boxer, S.
G. “High refractive index substrates for fluorescence
microscopy of biological interfaces with high z contrast.” Proc.
Natl. Acad. Sci. USA (2001), 98, 13643-13648.
Education
Ph.D. Chemistry 2004, Stanford University,
Stanford, CA; Thesis Advisor: Prof. Steven G. Boxer; "High
Resolution Fluorescence Microscopy for Membrane Interfaces”.
Past professional positions
2005 – 2007 Postdoctoral
Fellow, Laboratory of Prof. Pamela Silver
2004 (summer) Intern, New Technologies, Kosan Biosciences, Hayward,
CA
1995 (summer) University of Texas, Austin, TX
Links
My website: http://www.ajofranklin.com
Openwetware – a great
place to find and share protocols: http://openwetware.org/ |
