Post-Nominal Titles
Sabrina Leslie, PhD, FRSC
Departments
- Michael Smith Laboratories
- Department of Physics and Astronomy
- School of Biomedical Engineering
- Genome Sciences and Technology (GSAT) Graduate Program
- Bioinformatics Graduate Program
Research Area
The Leslie Lab is working at the interface of physics and biology with a particular interest in quantifying the dynamics of individual molecules. Dr. Leslie’s research provides insights into the biophysical properties of molecules and cells, including therapeutics with the ultimate goal of propelling quantitative health sciences. Her team is developing single-molecule and single-cell imaging and analysis tools, as well as mathematical models of molecular interactions, to help guide the rational design of new therapeutic molecules and delivery vehicles. These discoveries will elucidate the process of how molecules search for and bind to a target and perform their therapeutic function in a complex living environment, with a particular focus on nucleic acid interactions and advancing genetic medicines. Current projects include: understanding the biophysics of nucleic acid hybridization, understanding the mechanisms of antisense oligonucleotides, protein-protein interactions, and single- molecule activity in whole cells.
To learn more about the Leslie Lab, please visit: leslielab.msl.ubc.ca.
Research Questions
- How do DNA, RNA, protein and lipid macromolecules interact within the crowded environment inside cells?
- How can we use high-resolution measurements to optimize the therapeutic performance of macromolecules?
- How can high-resolution imaging studies help us understand and engineer lipid-nanoparticle delivery vehicles?
Research Keywords
Biological imaging , Biomolecular engineering , Biophysics , Biotechnology , Drug delivery , Drug discovery , Engineering development , Gene/cell therapy systems , Macromolecular biochemistry , Microfluidics , Nanofabrication , Translation