Research Interests

Our lab specializes in single molecule biophysics, where we can track and measure the activity of individual enzymes. By looking at each enzyme, we can parse out effects which are not resolvable in bulk experiments. We use optical tweezers, magnetic tweezers, atomic force microscopy (AFM), single molecule fluorescence, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS), and super-resolution photo-activatable light microscopy (PALM).

We are interested in studying how the cell converts chemical energy into mechanical work through highly specialized molecular machines. The generation, transduction, and regulation of force are key to many central processes in the cell. Many enzymes, such as polymerases, are motors which move along a cellular track, using chemical energy to take regulated steps and control synthesis.

More: http://bustamante.berkeley.edu/research/

Selected Publications