THE MELVIN RESEARCH GROUP aims to develop new tools and technologies to quantify and characterize complex biological systems. We take an interdisciplinary approach combining elements of chemical and biomedical engineering with chemical biology, biochemistry, biophysics, cell biology, and cancer biology.
Ongoing biosensor projects include the development of long-lived, cell-permeable, peptide-based biosensors to perform high-throughput screening of DUB and proteasome activity in intact single cells using droplet microfluidics.
Ongoing projects utilizing microfluidic devices to study metastatic breast cancer include (i) novel gradient generators to investigate the effects of simultaneous co-culture on the proliferation and paracrine signaling of cancer/stromal/immune cells, (ii) on-chip generation and interrogation of 3D breast cancer, cancer/immune, and cancer/stromal spheroids, (iii) microfluidic modules to study how fluid shear stress (FSS) changes breast cancer cell phenotype, and (iv) 3D-printed molds to 3D cancer cell migration.
We are also exploring the potential of using long-lived, cell-permeable peptides as a novel proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs).
Open Positions
Open positions for graduate students and undergraduate students are currently available. Please contact Dr. Adam Melvin if interested in joining the research group.
