UM Biophysics Faculty | Jens-Christian Meiners

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Jens-Christian Meiners

Experimental Biophysics

Jens-Christain Meiners

Associate Professor of Physics

Associate Research Professor, Biophysics Research Division

Ph.D.,Universitat Konstanz, Germany

Dept: Biophysics Research Division

Office Address: 4214 Randall Lab & 4040 Chemistry

Phone: (734) 764-7383

Email: meiners@umich.edu

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Dynamics of Single DNA Molecules
With the advent of single-molecule techniques, new routes to study the structure, dynamics, and function of biological macromolecules have opened. We are interested in experimentally investigating the dynamics of single DNA molecules with these techniques. Our emphasis is on understanding how the topology of a DNA molecule, manifested in e.g. a linear, circular, knotted or super coiled conformation, affects the dynamics of the molecule, its interaction with other molecules like regulatory proteins, and ultimately its biological functions.

For this aim, we are using laser-trapping techniques that allow us to directly manipulate a single DNA molecule and study its dynamics. In particular, a novel optical-tweezer based force measurement technique - femtonewton force spectroscopy - enables us to measure ultra-small force fluctuations with millisecond time resolution and thus gives us unprecedented insight into the dynamics of the molecule.

We are now also combining these optical methods with modern micro fabrication techniques, such as micro fluidic chips made of silicon elastomers. This will greatly enhance our capabilities to study a wide range of DNA-protein interactions and shed more light on fundamental biological processes such as the transcriptional regulation of gene expression.

We are also using this microfluidic platform to develop in collaboration with the Walter group a single-molecule biosensor for the ultra-sensitive detection of small organic molecules. We hope that such a biosensor will have a multitude of applications ranging from medical diagnostics to the search for life on Mars.

Representative Publications

S. Blumberg and J.-C. Meiners, Do Femtonewton Forces Affect Genetic Function?A Review. Journal of Biological Physics, DOI: 10.1007/s10867-005-9002-8 (2006).

M. N. Lambert, E. Vöcker, S. Redemann, S. Blumberg, A. Gajraj, J.-C. Meiners, and N. G. Walter, Mg2+-induced Compaction of Single RNA Molecules monitored by Tethered-Particle Microscopy, Biophysical Journal 90, 3672 (2006).

S. Blumberg, A. Gajraj, M. W. Pennington, and J.-C. Meiners, 3D Characterization of Tethered Microspheres by Total-Internal-Reflection Microscopy, Biophysical Journal 89, 1272 (2005).

S. Blumberg, A. Tkachenko, and J.-C. Meiners, Disruption of Protein-Mediated DNA Looping by Tension in the Substrate DNA, Biophysical Journal 88, 1962 (2005).

R. Nambiar, A. Gajraj, and J.-C. Meiners, All-Optical Constant-Force Laser Tweezers, Biophysical Journal, 87, 1978 (2004).

H. Chen and J.-C. Meiners, Topologic Mixing on a Microfluidic Chip, Applied Physics Letters 48, 2193 (2004).

B. Liesfeld, R. Nambiar, and J.-C. Meiners, Particle Transport in Asymmetric Scanning Line Optical Tweezers, Physical Review E 68, 51907 (2003).

H. Chen, D. Acharya, A. Gajraj, and J.-C. Meiners, Robust Interconnects and Packaging for Microfluidic Elastomer Chips, Analytical Chemistry 75, 5287 (2003).

R. Nambiar, and J.-C. Meiners, Fast Position Measurements with Scanning Line Optical Tweezers, Optics Letters 27, 836 (2002).

J.-C. Meiners, and S. R. Quake, Femtonewton Force Spectroscopy of Single Extended DNA Molecules, Physical Review Letters 84, 5014 (2000).

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Biophysics Research Division University of Michigan 4028 Chemistry Building 930 North University Avenue Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1055 UMsitemaker	Phone: (734) 763-6722 Fax: (734) 764-3323 E-mail: biophysics@umich.edu Last Updated: 5/25/2006 © Copyright 2006 University of Michigan