Welcome to the Laboratory for Advanced Biopolymers and Nanomechanics of Proteins (LABNanoPro)!
Lab 2020. From left to right: Ionel, Smrithika, Luai, Sabita, Kim, Marina, Narayan, Binh, Annie and Joel.
Our lab is using cutting-edge single molecule force spectroscopy techniques to investigate the response of proteins to mechanical perturbations. Our research combines instrument development, protein engineering, covalent attachment chemistries, and computer programming to study the mechano-chemistry of proteins from single molecule to tissue organization. Located in the new Kenwood Interdisciplinary Research Center, our group has a brand new wet-lab section, fully equipped for protein engineering and surface chemistry, and measuring facilities, such as a fully operational custom-made magnetic tweezers and a microscope mounted tensile tester for biological tissues/materials, currently under development. For more information about our research of interests, please refer to our recent publications here.
September 6, 2023
Naomi Raicu is featured on the latest issue of UWM Report magazine
Naomi Raicu is featured on the latest issue of the UWM Report magazine for her accomplishments during her stay in our lab. Congrats Naomi!
September 1, 2023
Our lab was featured by UWM Report for innovation
Our lab was featured by UWM Report as a collaborator of UWM Research Foundation, for its ongoing projects on antibody trapping and purification.
May 15, 2023
Sabita Sharma receives the Jeannette Seloover Johnson and R. Douglas Johnson Women in Science & Technology Fellowship
Sabita Sharma receives the Jeannette Seloover Johnson and R. Douglas Johnson Women in Science & Technology Fellowship. Congrats Sabita!
April 28, 2023
Naomi Raicu receives an outstanding presentation award at the UWM Undergraduate Research Symposium
Naomi Raicu receives an outstanding presentation award at the UWM Undergraduate Research Symposium. Congrats Naomi!
July 18, 2022
Our article in Science Advances gets featured in the media
Our article studying the mechanical response of talin, the mechanical computer of cellular adhesion, was published in Science Advances and featured in various scientific news websites, such as phy.org, eurekalert.org, mydroll.com, technologynetworks.com and UWM report. The main two findings were that talin has an unexpected history-dependent response to force and that one of its ligand, DLC1, binds with very high affinity, leading us to conclude that DLC1 can control cell spreading and act as a tumor suppressor through competitive binding to talin.
June 1, 2022
Marina Slawinski and Naomi Raicu receive the Senior Excellence in Research Awards
Marina Slawinski and Naomi Raicu are both recipients of theSenior Excellence in Research Award recipients, 2022-23. This award allows senior undergraduate students to significantly engage in research and to be an ambassador for undergraduate research activity at UWM. Congrats to both.
May 1, 2022
Marina Slawinski earns Outstanding Presentation Award
Marina Slawinski earns Outstanding Presentation Award for her talk given at Undergraduate Research Symposium, entitled “Generating Pores within Protein-Based Biomaterials without Compromising Their Structural Integrity”. Congratulations Marina!
April 26, 2022
New protein technology to purify antibodies
Following participation at the First Look Forum, our innovation on a new method to purify antibodies using porous columns was featured by the www.bizjournals.com. We hope to license this technology soon.
January 18, 2022
Unfolding the mystery
Naomi Raicu is featured in a new movie by the Office of Undergraduate Research, as she works on her project on protein hydrogels… She also does a quick tour of the wet lab, while explaining how research has benefitted her. Hope her advice is heard by other students interested in getting involved in research. Congrats Naomi!
December 15, 2021
Erick Sanchez graduates and moves to Harley Davison
Erick Sanchez, undergraduate student in our lab, graduated with a Bachelor in Mechanical Engineering and joins Harley-Davison as a design engineer. Erick joined our lab as part of the STEM-Inspire Program for underrepresented minorities. He has participated in the design and manufacturing of one of our force-clamp instruments. Congrats Erick!
December 3, 2021
Science Bag is Back !
Sci Bag Poster
Science Bag is back! Get your child interested in STEM! Our lab we’ll be doing the first event, in January ’22. Join us on January 7, 14, 21, 28 at 7 p.m or Sunday, January 16 at 2 p.m. at Physics building, Room 137, on the corner of E. Kenwood Blvd. and N. Cramer St. This event is open to the public and designed for children age 8 or older. I will be talking about how proteins are the magical workers inside our body and will do with future scientists from the audience several experiments to illustrate how proteins acquire their structure and how mechanical unfolding represents a unique process in nature.