From Single Molecule to Physiological Systems: Dynamic Characterization and Applications
Nov 1, 2024
2:30PM to 3:30PM
Date/Time
Date(s) - 01/11/2024
2:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Categories
Dr. Shane Scott
Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering,
McMaster University
From the molecular to the physiological level, living systems are ever-changing. Whether adapting to environmental stimuli or as part of their normal function, dynamics are a key component of biological systems. Understanding these phenomena is important to combatting disease, amplifying wound repair and recovery, and understanding how our bodies work. In this seminar, I will present research into characterizing and applying dynamics in several biological and physiological systems. First, I will present studies into DNA-DNA interactions and the structural dynamics that govern them using single-molecule fluorescence microscopy, with implications for gene editing technology and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Next, I will show how the stiffness of polymer hydrogels can be dynamically changed drastically, easily, and cheaply by incubating them in polymer solutions, directing cell morphology and potentially stem cell differentiation. At the physiological level, I will present work on visualizing neuronal behaviour in box jellyfish to visualize learning in simple animal systems, a first step in developing a model for learning in humans. Finally, I will present my current work on biomaterial surface functionalization and calciprotein particles with implications for blood-contacting systems and bone growth.
Bio:
Dr. Shane Scott is an experimental postdoctoral researcher on biological materials and systems at McMaster University’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering. He obtained his BSc and MSc in Physics at the University of Ottawa in 2008 and 2011, respectively, focussing on the rheometry of protein-based hydrogels. In 2019, Dr. Scott received his PhD in Physics from McGill University where he studied DNA structural changes and interactions using single-molecule fluorescence microscopy. Following this, he worked as a postdoctoral fellow studying DNA origami using DNA-PAINT at Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU) of Munich in Germany in 2019. From 2020-2022, he completed postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Kiel, focusing on dynamically tuning polymer hydrogels and fluorescently observing box jellyfish neuronal networks and learning. During this time, he was also an associated scientist with the Materials for Brain Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) and a member of the Neurotronics CRC. His current research investigates calciprotein particles, their functionalization on biomaterials, and their effects on cells.
In-Person: ABB 102
Online: https://mcmaster.zoom.us/j/97693881305
Meeting ID: 976 9388 1305
Passcode: 195176