Sinan Keten Molecular modeling, adhesive and structural proteins, bioinspired materials

Research Interests

Our research group focuses on computational modeling of proteins and peptide-based materials to understand structure-property-function relationships. Our core expertise is in molecular dynamics and multi-scale simulation of biomolecular assemblies to study self-assembly, allostery, transport, and broadly dynamical/mechanical properties. We investigate primarily structural proteins and cell adhesion molecules to understand the principles governing the design of biological components that serve mechanical or adhesive roles. Lessons learned from these fundamental investigations are translated into design principles for biomolecular/bioinspired materials.

Selected Publications

Increase in Charge and Density Improves the Strength and Toughness of Mussel Foot Protein 5 Inspired Protein Materials. Graham JJ and Keten S. ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering. 2023 July 7:online ahead of print.

A new approach for extracting information from protein dynamics. Liu J, Amaral LAN, and Keten S. Proteins: Structure, Function, and Bioinformatics. 2023 February;91(2):183-195.

Self-strengthening biphasic nanoparticle assemblies with intrinsic catch bonds. Dansuk KC and Keten S. Nature Communications. 2021 January 4;12:85.

Binary Cellulose Nanocrystal Blends for Bioinspired Damage Tolerant Photonic Films. Natarajan B, Krishnamurthy A, Qin X, Caglar DE, Forster A, Foster EJ, Weder C, Fox DM, Keten S, Obrzut J, and Gilman JW. Advanced Functional Materials. 2018 June 27;28(26):1800032.

Adhesion mechanisms of curli subunit CsgA to abiotic surfaces. DeBenedictis EP, Liu J, and Keten S. Science Advances. 2016 November 4;2(11):e1600998.

View all publications by Sinan Keten listed in the National Library of Medicine (PubMed).