Directory

B.S. Chemistry (1998) George Mason University

Ph.D. Chemistry and Biochemistry (2003) Georgia Institute of Technology

Email: cflandes@rice.edu
Phone: (713) 348-4232
Office: Dell Butcher Hall, 352

Research Statement

Dynamic complexity, in the form of degenerate and redundant pathways, has been a topic of deep scientific interest for many years.  Both types of complexity are thought to contribute to structural and dynamic roles in biological systems and might offer unique insight about new methods of engineering functional materials.  In fact, Nobel Laureate Gerald Edelman has suggested that "variation is not noise but is rather the substrate for the emergence of biological form and function"¹, and "with the development of nanotechnology and the reduced cost of electronic chips and memories, it is conceivable that engineers will turn to the deliberate construction of complex degenerate systems"².

Our understanding of this feature has advanced with our ability to detect and model it. Advances in measuring dynamic complexity have been made because of the emergence of single-molecule spectroscopy (SMS).  SMS has proven to be especially useful for studying dynamic processes that occur in biological systems, because it can identify inter- and intra-molecular heterogeneity.  It is exciting to imagine the wealth of information about complexity in ion transport, immune response, and photosensitization waiting to be discovered now that we have the ability to study these dynamic processes with molecular detail.  How do alternate pathways contribute to overall performance?  Does reversibility play a role in desensitizing surface receptors?  Can we use this information to direct advanced materials synthesis?

(1)   Edelman, G. M. "Biochemistry and the sciences of recognition" J. Biol. Chem. 2004, 279, 7361-7369.

(2)   Edelman, G. M.; Gally, J. A. "Degeneracy and complexity in biological systems" Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 2001, 98, 13763-13768

Selected Publications

Taylor, J. N.; Darugar, Q.; Kourentzi, K.; Willson, R. C.; Landes, C. F. "Dynamics of an anti-vegf aptamer: A single molecule study" Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 2008, 373, 213-218.

Tcherniak, A.; Reznik, C.; Link, S.; Landes, C. F. "Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy: Criteria for analysis in complex systems" Anal. Chem. 2009, 81, 746-754.

Darugar, Q.; Kim, H.; Gorelick, R. J.; Landes, C. F. "Human t-cell lympotropic virus type 1 nucleocapsid protein-induced structural changes in transactivation response DNA measured by single molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer" J. Virol. 2008, 92, 12164-12171.

Reznik, C.; Darugar, Q.; Wheat, A.; Fulghum, T.; Advincula, R. C.; Landes, C. F. "Single ion diffusive transport within a poly(styrene sulfonate) polymer brush matrix probed by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy" J. Phys. Chem. B 2008, 112, 10890-10897.

Reznik, C.; Estillore, N.; Advincula, R. C.; Landes, C. F. "Single molecule spectroscopy reveals heterogeneous transport mechanisms for molecular ions in a polyelectrolyte polymer brush" J. Phys. Chem. B 2009, in press.

Awards

ACS PRF Doctoral New Investigator Award, American Chemical Society.  (1/1/2010).