Undergraduate Research with Dr. Michael Paulaitis
Molecular simulations and modeling of weak protein-protein interactions; the role of hydration in biological organization and self-assembly phenomena; multiscale modeling of biological interactions.

General Research Description
Current Projects
Undergraduate Contributions
Future Undergraduate Projects
Undergraduate Qualifications
Contacts & Links

General Research Description
Computational methods in biology have undergone a remarkable transformation over the past several decades to the point where we can now carry out simulations, modeling and analysis of biological interactions on various time and length scales with the expectation of gaining new insights. Traditionally, the connection between computational methods in biology and the actual biology has been driven by experimental observations, in most cases, with the motivation to first establish the veracity of the computations. However, with the growing acceptance of the computations themselves, it is now possible to apply combinations of computational methods as a general, independent, powerful approach to unraveling the hierarchical nature of complex biological interactions.

The Paulaitis lab has adopted this integrative biology approach in applying chemical engineering analytical and computational skills to what has become the most challenging problem in molecular biology and biotechnology: the organization and interpretation of the vast amounts of basic data being generated in the field today from genome sequencing to protein structure determination to the determination of cellular and intercellular processing networks. The goals of my research program are to understand the inherently complex, hierarchical relationships of biological organization and to develop novel approaches to data assimilation and handling, especially as they pertain to protein interactions in aqueous solution and at interfaces, and to the self-assembly and structural organization of biological systems.

Current Projects
Using self-assembly molecules to molecularly engineer surfaces that are resistant to protein adsorption. She will use these surfaces to capture specific cell types on microarrays to analyze cell populations.

Writing computer programs to visualize and analyze the patterns of cells that are captured on these microarrays.

Developing experimental techniques based on light scattering to measure protein interactions in solution. The motivation is the model protein separation processes

Undergraduate Contributions

Future Undergraduate Projects
Any of the projects listed above can be conducted by undergraduates.
Funding is not currently available; thus research positions are for course credit or volunteer only.  Paulaitis will take on non-thesis students only at this time.

Undergraduate Qualifications

Contacts & Links
Faculty Profile

The best way to find out if you are interested in working in Dr. Paulaitis’s research group is to talk with him, then talk with the graduate and undergraduate students in his group.  Email at: paulaitis.1@osu.edu