The DeRouchey Lab

Our laboratory is broadly interested in understanding physical processes in biological relevant systems. We perform physical biological chemistry studies to understanding the forces, structures, and dynamics that govern the interaction of biologically significant macromolecular assemblies to address problems in biology and biomedicine. Using interdisciplinary methodologies in chemistry, physics, and medicine, we focus currently on issues related to five topics (i) understanding DNA self-assembly in sperm chromatin (ii) improved delivery of nucleic acids for therapeutics (iii) Synthesis and characterization of engineered hydrogels for enhanced mitochondrial transplantation and (iv) self-assembly of proteins with engineered nanomaterials. Learning the strength, specificity, and reversibility in associates of biologically important macromolecules, typically in crowded environments, is crucial to our understanding of gene and cellular function and for effective and rational drug design. ​