Q&A with Dr James Behan
James joined CBNI in April 2019 as a Postdoctoral Fellow.
Why did you choose to work in the bionano field?
My background is in the physical chemistry of nanomaterials, but I wanted to investigate nanomaterial/biological system interactions as I believe the bionano field is central to exciting new developments in biotechnology and nanomedicine.
What are you working on at the moment?
At the moment I am an IRC postdoctoral fellow investigating strategies for modifying the surface of nanoparticles and other nanoconstructs to study their interactions with receptors, with the goal of improving specific receptor targeting for nanomedicine applications.
What result/discovery has most surprised you?
It is remarkable how even with careful control of nanomaterial properties and surface chemistry, bio-nano interactions are so often dominated by the simple adsorption of biomolecules, whether it is in targeted nanomedicine formulations or anti-fouling surface coatings. The problem of how to control nanomaterial surfaces even for the most complex applications is often dominated by strategies to mitigate or control simple adsorption.
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