Prof. Gerard C. L. Wong
Department of Materials Science and Engineering,
Department of Physics
and Department of Bioengineering,
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign,
Urbana IL 61801
We are interested in the materials science and soft condensed matter physics of biology and biomedicine. Our interests extend from fundamental science to technological applications. The group is inherently interdisciplinary; our collaborations include physicists, chemists, biologists, medical doctors, as well as materials scientists.
The group uses a wide range of experimental techniques including, quantitative, ultra-high resolution synchroton x-ray scattering and spectroscopy, x-ray and electron microscopy, massively parallel optical traps, laser-scanning confocal microscopy, and fluorescence and video-enhanced optical microscopy.
General areas of research:
- Membrane-active-antimicrobals
- Signaling and self-organization in bacterial biofilms
- Soft condensed matter physics
- Femtosecond x-ray imaging of aqueous ion dynamics
- Single molecule crystallography
We are affiliated with:
- The NSF Nanoscience and engineering center for directed self-assembly (UIUC RPI),
- The NSF Science and Technology Center for water purification (CAMPWS),
- The Beckman Institute for Advanced Science & Technology,
- The Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory.
Recent News
April 2008
Abhijit Mishra won the Racheff Intel Graduate Student Research Award for his work on cell penetrating peptides.
Jan 2008
Both Lihua Yang's JACS paper from 2007 and Lori Sanders's PNAS paper from 2007 were featured on the cover of the January 2008 issue of the Materials Research Society Bulletin (see right).
Jul 2007
Ivan Smalyukh will start as an Asst. Prof. at the University of Colorado!
May 2007
Lihua Yang won the Racheff Intel Graduate Student Research Award for her work on antimicrobial peptide mimics.
Last updated: May 2008 GH
