Research Director

Ayumi Hirano-Iwata

Advanced Institute for Materials Research (AIMR), Tohoku University
Principal Investigator
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Outline

Bilayer lipid membrane is a basic structure of cell membranes which are highly sensitive biosensors for chemical, optical and mechanical stimuli. The characteristic features of bilayer lipid membranes are their super-high resistance, fluidity and self-assembling natures. The aim of this research is construction of vertical ion nano-channels and horizontal electron nano-channels in artificial bilayer lipid membranes formed in microfabricated silicon chips. By using the characteristic features of lipid bilayers, various channel-forming materials, including ion-channel proteins, metal nano-particles and semiconductor nano-particles, can be incorporated and aligned in bilayer lipid membranes. We try to create new chemical and physical sensors working in aqueous solution phases based on the vertical and horizontal nano-channels formed in super-resistive bilayer lipid membranes.