My research interest is the measurement and control of transient
phenomena at atomic time-scales and length-scales. The major questions
that motivate my research are: 1. How does a system approach equilibrium after sudden pertubation? 2. Can intermediate states be manipulated in real time to alter outcomes? 3. What new exotic behaviors can be identified under transient conditions? I seek to answer these questions by making molecular movies – recording events with very high spatial resolution and a very fast shutter speed. Tools used in my research include ultrafast lasers and synchrotron x-rays, used either alone or in combination. Please visit the links to the left for more information. You can also visit my official website at the DePaul University Physics Department, follow me on Twitter, or email me: elandahl@depaul.edu . |
Science Highlight
Eric C. Landahl,
Olga Antipova, Angela Bongaarts, Raul Barrea, Robert Berry, Lester I.
Binder, Thomas Irving, Joseph Orgel, Laurel Vana and Sarah E. Rice
We have developed an instrument to record X-ray diffraction patterns from diseased regions of human brain tissue by combining an in-line visible light fluorescence microscope with an X-ray diffraction microprobe. By using thiazine red fluorescence to specifically label and detect the filamentous tau protein pathology associated with Pick's disease (a), we have demonstrated that thiazine red-enhanced regions within the tissue show periodic structure in X-ray diffraction (b), which is not observed in healthy tissue (c). One observed periodicity (4.2 Å) is characteristic of cross-beta sheet structure, consistent with previous results from powder diffraction studies performed on purified, dried tau protein.