Research Group "Model membranes, monolayers, and lyotropic liquid crystals"

Head:	Prof. Dr. Alfred Blume
Address:	Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg Physikalische Chemie Mühlpforte 1 D-06108 Halle Germany
Phone: Fax: Room:	+49-345-55 25850 +49-345-55 27157 49
Secretary: Phone: Fax: Room:	Beate Schramme +49-345-55 25851 +49-345-55 27157 48

Research Activities

Miscibility of lipids in lyotropic lamellar liquid-crystalline phases (differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC)).
Conformation and dynamics of lipids in lyotropic liquid-crystaline lamellar phases (FT-IR spectroscopy and solid-state NMR spectroscopy).
Packing properties of long chain alkyl compounds in crystalline and quasi-crystalline phases (x-ray wide angle and small angle scattering (WAXS, SAXS), modelling of chain packing, calculation of scattering curves).
Kinetics of the phase transition of lipids between different lyotropic lamellar phases (pressure-jump relaxation kinetics with time-resolved light scattering detection and FT-IR spectroscopy, pressure pertubation calorimetry (PPC)).
Permeability and stability of liposomes (stopped-flow kinetics with light-scattering and fluorescence detection).
Interaction of surfactants with liposomes: the vesicle-micelle transition (isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), stopped-flow kinetics, FT-IR spectroscopy).
Interactions of peptides and proteins with lipid bilayers (differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), fluorescence spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, vibrational circular dichroism spectroscopy (VCD), infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS)).
Interactions of peptides and proteins with lipid monolayers (fluorescence microscopy, infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS)).
Interactions of sphingolipid activator proteins with gangliosides (monolayer investigations, infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), fluorescence spectroscopy).
Interactions of detergents with lipid monolayers (surface pressure area isotherms, infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS)).
Investigation of defect structures of thermotropic liquid-crystalline phases in the glass state and of lipid layers on solid surfaces with atomic force microscopy (AFM).
Chiral superstructures in liquid-crystalline systems (vibrational circular dichroism spectroscopy (VCD)).
Interactions of block copolymers with lipid monolayers and bilayers.

Research Group Members

Research Scientists	Raum	Telefon:
Dr. Günter Förster (Dipl.-Chem.)	K1	0345-55 25820/25
Dr. Anton Hauser (Dipl.-Phys.)	K5	0345-55 25815
Dr. Andreas Kerth (Dipl.-Chem.)	47	0345-55 25858
Dr. Annette Meister (Dipl.-Chem.)	47	0345-55 25858
Dr. Martin Schiewek (Dipl.-Chem.)	53	0345-55 25819
PhD Students
Dipl.-Ing./M.Sc. Appl. Polymer Sci. Elkin Amado	51	0345-55 25845
M.Sc. Appl. Polym. Sci. Ahmad Arouri	51	0345-55 25957
Dipl.-Pharm. Martin Bastrop	53	0345-55 25819
Gesche Graf	51	0345-55 25845
Claudia Hoffmann	51	0345-55 25865
Bob-Dan Lechner	51	0345-55 25845
Anja Huster	51	0345-55 25845
Michael Tausch	51	0345-55 25845
Tina Weber	51	0345-55 25845
Diploma/Master Students
Sebastian Finger	51	0345-55 25845
Martin Rabe	51	0345-55 25845
Technical Staff
Bettina Fölting (Chem.-tech. Assistentin)	34	0345-55 25842
Andreas Lonitz (Dipl.-Ing. Elektrotechnik)	24	0345-55 25852

Selected Publications

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