CPM Seminar

Synthetic Molecular Motors: Concepts and Numerical Simulations

Martin Zuckermann

Department of Physics
Simon Fraser University

Our project is to design and construct synthetic molecular motors mainly (though not completely) with a view to understanding the functioning of biological nano-motors such as myosin V and kinesin. In general our motors will be constructed from non-motor protein modules. I will present two of our concepts, the “Tumbleweed Motor” and the “1-D Molecular Spider” plus the results of simulations, which were performed to support the proposed experimental research in the group. The 1-D molecular spider is a theoretical concept which will help us to understand a similar motor, the “lawnmover”, which is being constructed in Professor Forde's laboratory at Simon Fraser University.