NanoBiosensors and Molecular Tracking Lab

Single-molecular tracking allows us to observe the motion of a single molecule for an extended period of time inside live cells or in nanostructures. But the current single-molecule tracking microscopes cannot probe the molecular association/dissociation events along the molecular trajectories in 3D space. We plan to address this challenge through innovative microscope design, computer simulation, feedback control, system integration, and materials technologies. Our goal is to create a new 3D molecular tracking method that can not only follow the movement of a single biomolecule inside live cells for tens of minutes but can also observe biomolecule’s weak interactions or transient binding (kd ~ µM) with surrounding molecules during trafficking. Using this enabling technique, we hope to map molecular trafficking highways, molecular association/dissociation hotspots, and cellular compartments or subcellular structures all together in live cells. This chemical measurement and imaging capability has never been realized before and, if successfully implemented, will greatly facilitate our understanding of receptor trafficking pathways and signaling networks at unprecedented spatial and temporal resolutions.