We introduce

We introduce Janelle Green, working in the group of Prof. Ueli Aebi at the Biozentrum in Basel

1. What is the topic of your PhD thesis?
I am studying the structure and assembly of human amylin fibrils. Human amylin fibrils are found in the pancreas of Type 2 diabetics and it is hypothesized that the fibrils (or their precursors) cause the disease.

2. Do you already have first results?
Yes. I have just recently published in the Journal of Molecular Biology. In this paper, we investigated which residues are important for human amylin fibril formation, by studying 7 variant peptides. Several bulk assays were used to identify which residues had an impact on fibril formation. Time-lapse atomic force microscopy was also used to compare the kinetics of fibril formation by the variant peptides, identifying which ones had a higher nucleation rate. I am currently also working on two other projects, investigating the assembly pathway of human amylin fibrils and human amylin's interaction with lipid.

3. Is there a potential application of your research?
I hope so. By understanding the structure, assembly pathway of human amylin fibrils, and the interaction of human amylin with lipid membranes, we will be able to more knowledgeably design inhibitors to fibril formation. These inhibitors would be candidates for treating Type 2 diabetes.

4. Why are you interested in Nanoscale Science?
I like the idea of using Nanoscale tools in biological research.

5. What are your plans for the future?
Finish my PhD! Find a challenging fulfilling career in which I can use my scientific skills. i.e. I'm still not sure.

6. What are your interests outside research?
I love to travel. It's so great living in Switzerland and being able to travel to so many countries and within minutes sometimes. Now that's a lot different to New Zealand! It's definitely one thing I'll miss when I leave. I also enjoy snowboarding, going to the gym (when I push myself), and socializing and am involved in a church discussion group.

1.What is the topic of your PhD thesis?
My topic is the field of "Molecular Electronics". The main goal is to make conductance measurements of single molecules in break junctions.

2. Do you already have first results?
I started my first measurements in April. Now, we are working on the improvement of the system and the measurements.

3. Is there a potential application of your research?
The feature size reduction of Silicon based technology will, at some point, run into physical limitations. Molecular Electronics is a potential alternative to Si technology: Single molecules would act as switch or storage elements- the ultimate miniaturization of logic circuits!

4. Why are you interested in Nanoscale Science?
What I’m interested in is, how nature works at this small scale, as the behaviour and the laws are different from those at macroscopic scale.

5. What are your plans for the future?
My first plan is of course to finish my PhD. After this, I’m interested to work in the industry, maybe research, maybe something else, this is not so clear yet.

6. What are your interests outside research?
cinema, theater, some sport, Rhein swimming, reading ... and many more ...

1. What is the topic of your PhD thesis?
The aim of the project is to perform electrical transport experiments through contacted molecules in a metal-molecule-metal nanojunction.

2. Do you already have first results?
The first part of the project is aimed at the production of the nanogap. At the moment I am working on this task, performing electrical measurements in order to characterize the junction.

3. Is there a potential application of your research?
The technological challenges and the physical knowledge that underlay these kinds of experiments will contribute to the comprehension and implementation of "molecular electronics", which I strongly believe will be part of our future.

4. Why are you interested in Nanoscale Science?
Nanoscale Science offers to me an unique opportunity to work in a new exciting field that naturally combines the physical and the chemical world.

5. What are your plans for the future?
I plan to keep on doing research, as long as the motivation and the interest will continue to intrigue me, trying to learn the way and the philosophy of scientific works.

6. What are your interests outside research?
I like a cold white morning at the top of a mountain, with a blue sky painted by a rising sun, ready to feed the mind with sensations that make me feel alive ... board on the feet.

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