Simon Scheuring   Professor of Physiology and Biophysics in Anesthesiology

Phone
  • +1 212 962 2565

We perform atomic force microscopy (AFM) based research of biological samples, with a particular interest in membrane LOGOs_Bio-AFM-Labphenomena. Our data reports about the structure, dynamics, diffusion, interaction, mechanics and supramolecular assembly of membrane proteins and other membrane constituents.
  • biophysics (GEMET)
  • membrane (GEMET)
  • protein (GEMET)

Affiliation

Publications

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Research

Research opportunities

  • Postdoctoral and doctoral candidates interested in joining the lab, please contact sis2019(at)med(dot)cornell(dot)edu

research overview

  • My laboratory is specialized in Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) based technologies for the study of various membrane phenomena, such as membrane protein structure, assembly, diffusion and conformational dynamics. Over the past few years, my laboratory has been instrumental in the development and application of High-Speed Atomic Force Microscopy (HS-AFM), unique for the analysis of dynamics of unlabeled single molecules, allowing to bridge structure and function. Using HS-AFM, we reach ~1nm lateral, ~0.1nm vertical and ~100ms temporal resolution. While we continuously push the technological limits, our state-of-the-art HS-AFM can readily resolve dynamics of single domains in transmembrane channels, transporters and membrane associated proteins.

    Recent progresses in structural biology (X-ray, cryo-EM) allow now solving membrane protein structures rather routinely. In light of this wealth of structural information, current challenges include the analysis of supramolecular interactions, conformational changes, kinetics of state transitions, pathways of state transitions and physical properties of proteins at work. HS-AFM features several unique strengths to study such phenomena at the single molecule level: It provides concomitant real-space structural and real-time dynamical information, and it operates in a physiological environment, at ambient temperature and pressure and in buffer solution (where membrane proteins are embedded in membranes).

    To make HS-AFM more powerful for biological applications, we developed environmental control, i.e. slow and fast buffer exchange, temperature and force control. We further developed novel AFM-based modalities, by integrating optical microscopy into a HS-AFM, and by developing high-speed force spectroscopy (HS-FS) and high frequency microrheology (HF-µR). We also developed HS-AFM line scanning (HS-AFM-LS) and HS-AFM height spectroscopy (HS-AFM-HS) which allows to probe molecular dynamics experimentally at millisecond and microsecond temporal resolution. Most recently, we introduced localization atomic force microscopy (LAFM) a super-resolution method that allows the extraction of quasi-atomic structural details from single molecule AFM data.

    Taking advantage of these possibilities, we have made significant contributions in the membrane trafficking and the channels & transporters fields.

Funding awarded

Background

Contact

full name

  • Simon Scheuring

primary email

  • sis2019@med.cornell.edu

mailing address

  • 1300 York Avenue

    E-023B

    New York, NY  10065-4896

    USA

phone

  • +1 646 962 2565

External Relationships

externalRelationships

  • Relationships and collaborations with for-profit and not-for-profit organizations are of vital importance to our faculty because these exchanges of scientific information foster innovation. As experts in their fields, WCM physicians and scientists are sought after by many organizations to consult and educate. WCM and its faculty make this information available to the public, thus creating a transparent environment.

    Consultant refers to an individual who provides expert advice to a business or entity (e.g., consulting on medical devices or pharmaceuticals)Consultant:
    Arrakis Therapeutics
    Other Interests refers to miscellaneous financial interests not covered in other categories (e.g., stipends, anything of monetary value)Other Interest:
    Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation