Matthew D. Antonik, Assistant Professor

2061 Malott Hall
TEL: (785) 864-1943
FAX: (785) 864-5262
Email: antonik@ku.edu

Professional Background:

2007-Present: Assistant Professor, Physics & Astronomy, University of Kansas
1999-2006: Physical Chemistry Group- Heinrich-Heine-Universitat/Max Plank Institut
1996-1999: Biophysics Group-Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

1994-1995: Thin Films Group, Department of Chemistry, Washington State University

Education:

1994: PhD Physics, University of Maine, Orono
1989: B.A., Mathematics, Minor Physics, State University of New York, Albany

Honors Awards:

Member Biophysical Society

Research Interests:

My research interest is primarily motivated by the desire to understand the basic physics of how biology works. Topics include the structure of macromolecular assemblies such as transcription complexes or membrane fusion, conformational dynamics of biomolecules, and basic physical phenomena driving biological activity. I rely on single molecule techniques, in which the signal from a complex, inhomogeneous ensemble is understood by investigating the molecules one at a time. I am currently involved in analyzing the signal fluctuations from single molecules in a strictly quantitative way so as to extract sub-ångstrom structural resolution and quantitative descriptions of dynamic molecular activity. New methods for investigating biophysical properties are also developed, both by continued innovation of existing techniques and by adapting the latest nanotechnology for biological measurements.

Selected Publication:

1. "Separating Structural Heterogeneities from Stochastic Variations in FRET Distributions via Photon Distribution Analysis" M Antonik, S Felekyan, A Gaiduk, CAM Seidel, J. Phy. Chem. B 110, 6970 (2006)

2. "Single molecule detection and identification of multiple species by multiparameter fluorescence detection." J Widengren, V. Kudryavtsev, M Antonik, S Berger, M Gerken, CAM Seidel, Analytical Chemistry 78 (6), 2039 (2006)

3. "Optical Characteristics of Atomic Force Microscopy Tips for Single-Molecule Fluorescence Applications." A Gaiduk, R. Kuhnemuth, M Antonik, CAM Seidel, ChemPhysChem 6, 976 (2005)