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A model system is proposed to investigate the chemical equilibrium and mechanical stability of biological spherical-like nanoshells in contact with an aqueous solution with added dissociated electrolyte of a given concentration. The ionic…
A theory is presented which allows us to accurately calculate the density profile of monovalent and multivalent counterions in suspensions of polarizable colloids or nano-particles. In the case of monovalent ions, we derive a weak-coupling…
The behaviour and stability of soft and biological matter depend significantly on electrostatic interactions, as particles such as proteins and colloids acquire a charge when dispersed in an electrolytic solution. A typical simplification…
The combination of soft responsive particles, such as microgels, with nanoparticles (NPs) yields highly versatile complexes of great potential for applications, from ad-hoc plasmonic sensors to controlled protocols for loading and release.…
Ordering nanoparticles into a desired super-structure is often crucial for their technological applications. We use molecular dynamics simulations to study the assembly of nanoparticles in a polymer brush randomly grafted to a planar…
The packaging of genetic material within a protein shell, called the capsid, marks a pivotal step in the life cycle of numerous single-stranded RNA viruses. Understanding how hundreds, or even thousands, of proteins assemble around the…
The kinetics of the self-assembly of nanocomponents into a virus, nanocapsule, or other composite structure is analyzed via a multiscale approach. The objective is to achieve predictability and to preserve key atomic-scale features that…
Single-stranded (ss) RNA viruses self-assemble spontaneously in solutions that contain the viral RNA genome molecules and the viral capsid proteins. The self-assembly of empty capsids can be understood on the basis of free energy…
In single particle imaging experiments, beams of individual nanoparticles are exposed to intense pulses of x-rays from free-electron lasers to record diffraction patterns of single, isolated molecules. The reconstruction for structure…
In order to control aggregation phenomena in suspensions of nanoparticles, one often charges the particles electrically, e.g. by triboelectric charging. Stabilization of suspensions against aggregation of particles is an important issue,…
In this thesis we study the lateral electrostatic interaction between a pair of non-identical, moderately charged colloidal particles trapped at an electrolyte interface in the limit of short inter-particle separations. Using a simplified…
The modified Poisson-Boltzmann theory of the restricted primitive model double layer is revisited and recast in a fresh, slightly broader perspective. Derivation of relevant equations follow the techniques utilized in the earlier MPB4 and…
We conjecture that certain patterns (scars), theoretically and numerically predicted to be formed by electrons arranged on a sphere to minimize the repulsive Coulomb potential (the Thomson problem) and experimentally found in spherical…
To explore charge regulation (CR) in physicochemical and biophysical systems, we present a model of colloidal particles with sticky adsorption sites which account for the formation of covalent bonds between the hydronium ions and the…
Biomolecular condensates are liquid- or gel-like droplets of proteins and nucleic acids formed at least in part through liquid-liquid phase separation. Condensates enable diverse functions of cells and the pathogens that infect them,…
Nanoparticles, such as viruses, can enter cells via endocytosis. During endocytosis, the cell surface wraps around the nanoparticle to effectively eat it. Prior focus has been on how nanoparticle size and shape impacts endocytosis. However,…
We review theoretical explanation of mechanisms of control of uniformity in growth of nanosize particles and colloids. The nanoparticles are synthesized as nanocrystals, by burst nucleation from solution. The colloids are self-assembled by…
Using the hypernetted-chain/mean spherical approximation (HNC/MSA) integral equations we study the electrical double layer inside and outside a model charged cylindrical vesicle (nanopore) immersed into a primitive model macroions solution,…
Strong light-matter interactions in both the single-emitter and collective strong coupling regimes attract significant attention due to emerging quantum and nonlinear optics applications, as well as opportunities for modifying…
A molecular-level model is used to study the mechanical response of empty cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV) and cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV) capsids. The model is based on the native structure of the proteins that consitute the capsids and…