PhD thesis supervisor: dr. Aušra Valiūnienė (apply for recommendation)
Study of the photoelectrochemical properties of phospholipid bilayer membranes formed on semiconductor surfaces
Membrane models are an important class of biological macromolecular systems that participate in signal transduction in living organisms and play a key role in regulating cell morphology, immune responses, and biochemical reactions. Electrochemical investigation of such models provides valuable information on cell membrane function and damage mechanisms. These insights may be useful in various fields, including drug development, rapid diagnostics, and biomaterials design. However, to date, no studies have been published on the possible dependence of the electrochemical properties of PBM models on illumination. For the practical application of PBM models, it is important to investigate and evaluate the effect of illumination on both the behavior of the semiconductor metal oxides on which membrane models are formed and on the membrane models themselves.
The aim of this project is to investigate the photoelectrochemical properties of PBM models formed on semiconductor surfaces.
Using a phospholipid bilayer-on-metal-oxide surface platform developed in our laboratory, the study will provide new insights into the effects of light on PBM properties and help identify potential applications of membrane models in the development of light-sensitive drugs and diagnostic tools.