Office: 37 Science Building 

Education:

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Physics, Queen Mary University of London, UK (2013)

Employment:

Shull-Wollan Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA: Researcher (2020-2025)

Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Tennessee at Knoxville,USA: Research Assistant Professor (2020-2025)

Biology and Soft Matter Division, and Shull Wollan Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA: Postdoctoral Research Associate (2017- 2020). Supervisor: Dr. John Katsaras.

Inelastic X-ray Scattering Group, National Synchrotron Light Source II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, USA: Postdoctoral Research Associate (2015- 2017). Supervisors: Dr. Yong Q. Cai and Dr. Alessandro Cunsolo.

Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, USA: Postdoctoral Research Associate (2013-2015). Supervisor: Prof. Benjamin Widom.

Distinctions:

Junior Research Fellowship at Cornell University. Mentors: Prof. Neil Ashcroft and Prof. Roald Hoffmann, 2012:http://www.thomasyoungcentre.org/fund-visits/junior-research-fellowship/

Myerscough Bequest Award - PhD Scholarship Recipient, Queen Mary University of London, 2010-2013; Awarded one doctoral scholarship every three years.

Research Interests:

Research of my group lies at the intersection of soft condensed matter physics, biophysics and membrane neuroscience, with a focus on the structural and dynamical properties of lipid membranes under electric and ionic stimuli. We investigate lipid bilayers as active, memory-bearing systems, capable of mimicking neural behavior through dipolar dynamics, plasticity, and signal processing. By combining scattering techniques (neutron and X-ray), vibrational spectroscopy, electrophysiological methods, and molecular dynamics simulations, we aim to uncover the fundamental mechanisms of biological memory imprinted in membranes. These insights not only advance our understanding of neuronal processes but also inform the design of soft, field-responsive neuromorphic and bioinspired materials.

Specifically, we investigate:

Synaptic plasticity at the level of biomembranes, where we study how local changes in lipid composition and diverse stimuli can serve as physical correlates of learning and memory in neural contexts.

Memory elements in biomimetic and artificial systems, such as memristors and memcapacitors, drawing parallels between biological memory encoding in lipid bilayers and electronic memory devices.

Mechanisms of long-term potentiation (LTP) in model membrane systems, aiming to bridge the gap between molecular-scale energy conversion mechanisms and higher-order phenomena of cognitive memory.

Forces generated by lipids and lipid assemblies, examining how collective molecular motions, van der Waals, and entropic interactions contribute to membrane mechanics, shape transformations, and electromechanical coupling. Phonons and collective excitations in biomembranes, including both acoustic and optical branches, using inelastic X-ray and neutron scattering (IXS/INS) to probe how molecular vibrations influence energy transfer and dissipation. Collective molecular motions in soft and biological materials, exploring how correlated vibrations and fluctuations in membranes underlie functional properties in living systems.

Structure and dynamics of lipid membranes, with a focus on phospholipid bilayers, characterized through small-angle X-ray and neutron scattering (SAXS/SANS) to reveal nanoscale organization, phase transitions, and curvature effects. Phase separation in heterogeneous vesicles and lipid films, highlighting how coexisting liquid-ordered and liquid-disordered domains regulate signaling, ion channel activity, and energetics in cellular membranes.

Taken together, these lines of inquiry aim to connect fundamental physical principles, i.e., vibrations, scattering, collective motion with biological function, particularly the emergence of memory, adaptability, and information processing in soft and living matter.

Recent Publications:

• M.O. Lavrentovich, J.M.Y. Carrillo, C.P. Collier, J. Katsaras, D. Bolmatov. Curvature Memory in Electrically Stimulated Lipid Membranes. Langmuir 41 (5), 3157–3165 (2025).

• C.P. Collier, D. Bolmatov, R. Lydic, J. Katsaras. Neuronal Plasma Membranes as Supramolecular Assemblies for Biological Memory. Langmuir 41 (5), 2973–2979 (2025).

• C.P. Collier, D. Bolmatov, J. Katsaras. Lipid Bilayers as Platforms for Understanding Biological Memory and the Development of Neuromorphic Computing. Chapter in the book Membrane Shape and Biological Function, pp. 276–288 (2025).