Protein-based materials have the potential to change the current paradigm of materials science. However, it still remains a challenge to preserve protein hierarchical structure and function while making them readily processable. Protein structure is inherently fluid, and it is this property that contributes to their fragility outside of their native environment. Through the use of rationally designed statistically random heteropolymers, it is possible to stabilize proteins at each hierarchical level and process them in organic solvents, a common need for materials fabrication. The chemical and architectural complexities of statistically random heteropolymers provide a modular platform for tunable protein-polymer-solvent interactions. This provides opportunities not offered by small molecule surfactants or amphiphilic block copolymers. Through evaluation of horseradish peroxidase and green fluorescent protein structure, we show that statistically random heteropolymers can stabilize enzymes. Allowing for activity retention when stored in organic solvent, over 80% activity was observed after 24 hours. Furthermore, horseradish peroxidase and chymotrypsin proteins, when encapsulated in statistically random heteropolymers, are still accessible to their substrates while remaining inaccessible to the denaturing organic solvent. Statistically random heteropolymers have potential in creating stimuli-reponsive materials and nanoreactors composed of proteins and synthetic materials.

Researchers in UCLA's Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry have harnessed gel electrophoresis in order to direct and program controlled collisional reactions between pulse-like bands of molecules and/or colloidal reagent species.

UCLA researchers in the Department of Bioengineering have developed systems and methods to produce single particle, monodisperse droplets for use in digital assays, targeted drug delivery, and theranostics.

UCLA researchers have developed a novel algorithm that can be used to design unique self-assembled molecules and nanostructures.

Nanoscale multipoint structure-function analysis is essential for deciphering the complexity of multiscale physical and biological systems. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) allows nanoscale structure-function imaging in various operating environments and can be integrated seamlessly with disparate probe-based sensing and manipulation technologies. However, conventional AFMs only permit sequential single-point analysis. Widespread adoption of array AFMs for simultaneous multi-point study is still challenging due to the intrinsic limitations of existing technological approaches.

Microfluidic devices have long been touted as a powerful analytical tool with which to characterize a wide range of analytes, including particles, and cells. Despite the apparent convenience of microfluidic technologies for applications in healthcare, such devices often rely on capital-intensive optics and other peripheral equipment that limit throughput, perhaps because the majority of microfluidic devices operate using optics-based principles, which typically require high-speed or sensitive cameras, sophisticated confocal microscopes, vibration isolation tables, and laser excitation systems.

Researchers at the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior have developed magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) functionalized with deoxyglucose that can be used as tissue-specific contrast agents for MRI. These novel MNPs can help physicians and researchers to differentiate neoplastic, epileptic, parkinsonian, or Alzheimer tissues from normal tissue based on the metabolic activity of the tissue.

UCLA researchers in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering have invented a novel nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) composite membrane for water desalination applications.

UCLA researchers in the Department of Electrical Engineering have developed a high-responsivity photodetector that utilizes metallo-graphene nanocomposites for superior detection of infrared wavelengths.

UCLA researchers in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering have developed a novel piezoelectric thin film that can control magnetic properties of individual magnetic islands.

UCLA researchers in the Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology have developed a novel microfluidic device that enables rapid measurement of cell mechanical properties.

Researchers at UCI have developed a fully integrated sample mount for the simultaneous high-resolution imaging and electronic and optical characterization of thin film devices.

UCLA researchers in the Department of Material Science and Engineering have invented a novel and highly stable platinum-based catalyst material for fuel cell technologies.

UCLA researchers in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering have developed a miniature direct-current (DC) ion source with the higher power efficiencies and lower erosion rates needed for space propulsion applications.

UCLA researchers in the Departments of Pediatrics and Chemistry & Biochemistry have developed a microfluidic device for delivery of biomolecules into living cells using mechanical deformation, without the fouling issues in current systems.

UCLA researchers in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering have developed a novel cell force sensor platform with high accuracy over large areas.

UCLA researchers in the department of Electrical Engineering have developed a novel magetoelectric device for use as a spin transistor.

UCLA researchers have developed a novel mobile phone-based fluorescence multi-well plate reader.

Researchers at UCI have developed a method for enhancing existing hydrogen gas sensors, leading to as much as a 20-fold improvement in sensor response and recovery times.

The invention is a novel method for enhancing the energy, power and performance of lithium ion batteries. It applies a new process for electrodepositing Manganese Oxide in a way that improves the electrical properties as well as the rate at which the battery can operate. Using this method, the energy storage capabilities is boosted significantly; making it faster, more reliable and enabling various applications to become more dependent on electric/battery solutions.

High density micro-reactors are fabricated to form an array of wells into a surface for use in high throughput microfluidic applications in biology and chemistry. Researchers at the University of California, Irvine developed a method for increasing micro-reactor densities per unit area using rapidly self-assembled three-dimensional crystalline formation droplet arrays, and a device for performing the same.

Concurrent control of size, shape, and composition of nanoparticles is key to tuning their functionality with widespread applications in sensing, catalysis, cancer cell ablation, water-splitting, spectroscopy, dye-sensitized solar cells, and more. UCB inventors demonstrate unprecedented precision over the structure and composition of complex nanoparticles by fusing colloidal chemistry with plasmon assisted synthesis.  They show that combining properties of light used for plasmon excitation (wavelength, intensity, and pulse-duration) with the physical properties of nanoparticles (size, shape, and composition) leads to hitherto unrealized core-vest composite nanostructures. Tunable variations in localized temperature distributions >50 degrees C are achieved over nanoparticles as small as 50-100 nm. These temperature variations result in core-vest formations with selective shell coverage that mirrors the local inhomogeneities of the heat distribution. This new class of core-vest nanoparticles (CVNs) allows plasmonic enhancement of nanocomposite functionalities that are inaccessible in typical core-shell geometries.  

Researchers at the University of California, Davis have developed a method to combine individual nanomaterial enhancements to achieve greater X-ray enhancement.

A self-referencing frequency comb based on high-order sideband generation (HSG) that does not require cavities. Applications include "set-and-forget" optical atomic clocks and high-resolution spectrometers for airborne chemicals.

UCLA researchers in the Department of Electrical Engineering have developed a new portable device to rapidly measure yeast cell viability and concentration using a lab-on-chip design.