Membrane Hydration

Dr. E. Anibal Disalvo, is a researcher in the field of biophysical chemistry, specializing in the study of lipid membranes and biomimetic systems. His work focuses on analyzing the structural and dynamical properties of lipid interphases, particularly in relation to water distribution, membrane stability, and cell permeability under osmotic and hydric stress. He also investigates enzyme activity regulation using techniques like FTIR spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, dipole potential measurements, and molecular simulations, with an emphasis on understanding the biophysical mechanisms underlying these processes. Dr. Disalvo holds a Doctorate in Sciences (Physical Chemistry) from the National University of La Plata, Argentina (1974). He is currently an Emeritus Researcher at the National Research Council (CONICET) and Head of the Applied Biophysical Area at the Center of Applied Biophysical and Food Research in Santiago del Estero. With a long academic career, he has been an Associate Professor at the University of Buenos Aires since 1997 and a Full Professor at the National University of Santiago del Estero since 2015. Dr. [Name] has also mentored over twenty PhD students in Chemistry and Biochemistry, contributing significantly to the development of the field. Dr. Maria de los Angeles Frias, holds a Doctorate in Chemical Sciences and is a Professor of Chemistry, with a specialization in biophysical chemistry. Her research focuses on nano-heterogeneous systems of lipid vesicles coated with plant-derived polysaccharides, particularly pectin, for incorporation into dehydrated foods. Her work lies at the intersection of biology, biochemistry, and molecular biology, and explores key topics such as nanoparticles, hydration, and the formulation of functional foods. Using biophysical techniques, she investigates the structural and dynamic properties of these systems, aiming to enhance the stability and functionality of food products. Dr. Frias currently works at the Center for Applied Biophysics and Food Research (CIBAAL) and the CONICET NOA South Scientific and Technological Center in Argentina. Through her research at these institutions, she contributes to the development of innovative technologies aimed at improving the quality and functionality of foods through the use of natural polymers and nanoparticles. Her work is interdisciplinary, combining principles from biochemistry, molecular biology, and physics to address applied challenges in the food industry.

• Chapter 1: Water, the essential liquid in biophysics: From the scrutiny of the complex nature of its molecular interactions to the hydration properties of nanomaterials, proteins and membranes: the fingerprints of hydrophobicity.- Chapter 2: Aquaphotomics: A Novel Approach to Investigating Water’s Role in Cell Membrane Hydration.- Chapter 3: Water at lipid interfaces: domains and defects.- Chapter 4: The molecular interplay between lipids, cholesterol and membrane hydration layers.- Chapter 5: Spatial Extent and Heterogeneity of Water at Phospholipid Membranes Revealed by Molecular Dynamics.- Chapter 6: Confined Water Organization in the Fluid Phase of Phospholipid Self-Assemblies: The Three-Water Layer Model.- Chapter 7: Water Under Molecular Crowding: From Femtosecond H-Bond Network Dynamics to Biological Function.- Chapter 8: Biomolecular condensates, crowding, and membranes: the role of water revealed with advanced fluorescence microscopy and phasor analysis.- Chapter 9: Physics and Life at Interfaces: Momentum Conservation and Albert Einstein’s Thermodynamics in 2D.