Oak Ridge National Lab

Our group maintains active and close collaborations with scientists at the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, enabling advanced neutron-based investigations of membrane structure and dynamics across multiple length and time scales. In particular, we work with Gernot Rother, instrument scientist for USANS, on probing mesoscale organization and collective structural responses in complex membrane systems; Eugene Mamontov, instrument scientist for BASIS, on characterizing slow dynamics, hydration, and relaxation processes relevant to membrane electromechanics and adaptive behavior; and Gergely Nagy and Changwoo Do, instrument scientists for SANS, on resolving nanoscale membrane structure, phase behavior, and stimulus-induced reorganization. These collaborations provide our group with unique access to state-of-the-art neutron scattering capabilities and deep instrument expertise, allowing us to design sophisticated experiments that tightly integrate structure, dynamics, and function in biologically relevant membrane systems. 

Our group maintains strong collaborations with the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, supporting integrated experimental and computational studies of membrane systems. We work closely with Ilia Ivanov on quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) measurements of lipid stacks, enabling precise characterization of membrane hydration, viscoelastic response, and stimulus-induced structural changes. In parallel, we collaborate with Jan-Michael Carrillo on large-scale atomistic and coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations of lipid membranes and membrane–protein systems, utilizing leadership-class supercomputers such as Summit and Frontier. Together, these collaborations allow us to directly connect experimental observables with molecular-level mechanisms, bridging nanoscale structure, collective dynamics, and electromechanical function in biologically and medically relevant membrane systems. 

Our group has active collaborations through the Shull-Wollan Center at Oak Ridge National Laboratory that focus on uncovering emergent, time-dependent phenomena in soft and biological materials. In collaboration with Takeshi Egami, we investigate spatiotemporal memory effects in field-driven lipid membranes, exploring how collective excitations, structural heterogeneity, and non-equilibrium responses give rise to relaxor ferroelectric–like behavior in soft matter systems. In parallel, we work closely with John Katsaras on the structural and biophysical properties of lipid membranes, leveraging advanced scattering and membrane model systems to resolve composition-structure-function relationships. These collaborations integrate theory, experiment, and neutron-based characterization, and play a central role in advancing our understanding of adaptive and memory-bearing behavior in membrane materials relevant to biological function and neuromorphic applications.