About Our Group
The Mrksich Group uses the tools of organic chemistry, materials science and biochemistry to address important challenges in and at the intersection of chemistry and biology.
In one program, we emphasize the development of methods to perform high throughput experiments by combining engineered surfaces and mass spectrometry in a technique known as SAMDI-MS. This method has been used extensively to profile enzymatic activity both in situ and in complex lysates while permitting the analysis of tens of thousands of experiments in a day. We have also pioneered the development of Megamolecules – a new way to engineer protein-based molecules with much greater control over their structure and complexity than with traditional techniques. With this approach, we can build structures composed of more than twenty protein domains, with branched, cyclic and dendritic architectures, and with molecular weights in excess of a million Daltons, for a broad range of basic and applied applications.
Research
High-Throughput Experiments
Our group utilizes the inert, ordered structure of self-assembled monolayers with MALDI-MS (SAMDI) to profile biological and chemical reactions in a label-free, high-throughput manner.
Megamolecules
Our group developed a platform for assembling large (~MDa), modular, homogeneous protein structures for therapuetic and diagnostic use.
Surface Chemistry and Cellular Control
Our group uses microcontact printing, dynamic photoactivation, and other methods to engineer substrates that control cellular adhesion and behavior.
Group Meetings
Group meetings are held in Tech B484. We invite first-year graduate students to attend group meetings. Please email mrksich-ofc@northwestern.edu with any questions.
- 03/12 12:00 PM Milan
- 04/03 5:00 PM Justin
- 04/22 5:00 PM Sraeyes
- 05/06 5:00 PM Guru
- 05/20 5:00 PM Tori
- 06/03 5:00 PM Bethel
- 06/17 5:00 PM Zhaoyi
- 07/01 5:00 PM Xandra
- 07/15 5:00 PM Rahul
Subgroup Meetings
Subgroup meetings. also held in Tech B484, invite project-based discussions and collaboration.
- 02/29 1:00 Pm Megamolecule
02/29 2:30 PM SAMDI - 03/13 2:00 PM Megamolecule
03/13 3:30 PM SAMDI - 04/05 1:00 PM Megamolecule
04/05 2:30 PM SAMDI - 04/23 10:00 AM Megamolecule
04/23 11:30 AM SAMDI - 05/07 2:00 PM Megamolecule
05/07 3:30 PM SAMDI - 05/21 2:00 PM Megamolecule
05/21 3:30 PM SAMDI - 06/04 2:00 PM Megamolecule
06/04 3:30 PM SAMDI - 06/18 2:00 PM Megamolecule
06/18 3:30 PM SAMDI
Funding Acknowledgements