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Molecular Motors





Research in the lab is aimed at understanding molecular motors, i.e. how motor enzymes convert chemcial energy into mechanical energy. Advanced physical techniques, such as single-molecule fluorescence microscopy and optical tweezers are used to record the pN-sized forces and nm-scaled displacements produced by individual motor enzymes. A recently developed molecular force clamp has considerably improved such measurements by enabling precise control of the force exerted on a single (moving) molecule at work (Visscher et al., Nature 400, 184-189). Our current interest is in ribosome-directed protein synthesis, with the ribosome being one of nature's most complex and versatile nanomachines, which moves along mRNA and at the same time pieces together amino acids to form a functional protein.




Mailing address:
Department of Physics
1118 E. 4th Street
Tucson, AZ 85721

520-626-8480 (Fax & Lab)




Lab Members:





Structure of 70S ribosome (Thermus terhmophilus ) at 5.5 Angstrom resolution, with the the 30S subunit on the left, and the 50S subunit on the right. (From Yusupov et. al. www.science.express.org 29 March 2001)


Links, images, movies etc












Koen Visscher Assistant Professor of Physics and Mol. & Cell. Biology

520-621-4276



















Gary Skinner , Postdoc
520-621-8218






















Yeonee Seol Graduate Student 520-626-8480





























































Brice Akgridge Graduate Student 520-626-8480


Brice


























Dominic Jezierski Undergraduate 520-626-8480