Professor Jean Chung of Colorado State University

"Lipid Membrane Structure in Catalysis and Reactivity"

The cellular membrane not only defines the boundary of the cell, but also mediates the communication with the environment and organizes vital processes in space and time. In the inflammation process, liberating polyunsaturated fatty acids from phospholipids. The fatty acids are then oxidized by lipoxygenase, which leads to the overall oxidation of the membrane that underlies aging and a host of diseases. Here, we explore how the structural integrity of the cell membrane is linked to both the hydrolysis of phospholipids by phospholipase A2 and lipid peroxidation by lipoxygenase. We use model membrane systems, such as lipid vesicles and supported lipid bilayers combined with fluorescence spectroscopy and imaging to investigate the reactions involved in membrane breakdown.