Hongjun Liang, Ph.D.

Biography

Our research interest is in membrane biophysics and bioengineering, with a particular focus on understanding and controlling the recognition and transport across nanoscale membrane boundaries. Our long-term goal is to bridge biology with synthetic systems via materials discovery. We design synthetic materials to partake in live processes, and adapt biological functions to be used under a broad range of harsher, non-biological conditions. Examples of our current research projects include membrane protein functions in synthetic proteomembranes; membrane-active antimicrobials and biofilm mitigation; and nanoparticle-based, membrane-targeting theranostic platforms. Aided by a large array of structural and functional characterization tools including synchrotron small angle x-ray scattering, we develop new biological, chemical, and engineering approaches to understand membrane biophysics and exploit membrane-based bionanotechnology.


See full biography.