Contact Information
Zvonimir Dogic
Abelson 222
(781) 736-2167
zdogic@brandeis.edu
Dogic Lab on Brandeis Science Blog
RESEARCH SUPPORT
Brandeis Materials Research Science Engineering Center
National Science Foundation: Biomaterials
National Science Foundation: Major Research Instrumentation Program
Zvonimir Dogic
Associate Professor of Physics
Ph.D., Brandeis University, 2001
The research interests of Zvonimir Dogic and his group lie in elucidating rules that govern self-assembly of materials, with a particular emphasis being placed on the role the particle's shape and chirality play in these assembly processes. We strive to create very simple model systems in which precise control is possible over all the relevant parameters. This enables a rigorous and detailed comparison with theoretical predictions. The particles we use have very simple hard core repulsive interactions. Despite the apparent simplicity of these building blocks, we have demonstrated that through a careful choice of particle shape and chirality it is possible to assemble at least half a dozen unique structures. By necessity our research is highly interdisciplinary. To accomplish our goals, in addition to a host of experimental techniques, we also utilize theoretical statistical mechanics, computer simulations, biochemistry, various protein purification techniques and molecular cloning.
CV and list of publications
Sample of Recent Publications
"Spontaneous motion in hierarchically assembled active matter," Tim Sanchez, Daniel T. N. Chen, Stephen J. DeCamp, Michael Heymann and Zvonimir Dogic, Nature 491, 431-434 (2012). PDF
"Reconfigurable Self-Assembly through chiral control of interfacial tension," T. Gibaud, E. Barry, M. Zakhary, M. Henglin, A. Ward, Y. Yang, C. Berciu, R. Oldenbourg, D. Nicastro, R. Meyer and Z. Dogic, Nature 481, 348-351(2012). [PDF] [Supp.]
"Cilia-Like Beating of Active Microtubule Bundles," T. Sanchez, D. Welch, D. Nicastro and Z. Dogic, Science 333, 456-459 (2011). [PDF] [Supp.]
"Entropy Driven Self-Assembly of Non-Amphiphilic Colloidal Membranes," E. Barry and Z. Dogic, PNAS 107, 10348-10353 (2010).[PDF] [Supp]
2010 Cozzereli Prize from National Academy of Sciences - Web Link
"Circularization, photo-mechanical switching and a supercoiling transition of actin filaments," T. Sanchez, I. Kulic and Z. Dogic, Phys. Rev. Lett. 104, 098103 (2010). [PDF]
"Condensation of isolated semi-flexible filaments driven by depletion interactions," A. W. C. Lau, A. Prasad and Z. Dogic, EPL 87, 48006 (2009). [PDF]"An active biopolymer network controlled by molecular motors," G. H. Koenderink GH, Z. Dogic Z, F. Nakamura F, P. M. Bendix, F. C. MacKintosh, J. H. Hartwig, T. P. Stossel and D. A. Weitz
PNAS 106, 15192-15197 (2009). [PDF] [Supp.]
"A model liquid crystalline system based on rodlike viruses with variable chirality and persistence length," E. Barry E, D. Beller and Z. Dogic, Soft Matter 5, 2563-2570 (2009). [PDF] [Supp.]
"Direct Measurement of the Twist Penetration Length in a Single Smectic A Layer of Colloidal Virus Particles," E. Barry, Z. Dogic , R. B. Meyer, R. A. Pelcovits and R. Oldenbourg, J. of Phys. Chem. B 113, 3910-3913 (2009). [PDF]