UC Irvine

Mitochondrial bioenergetics and its relationship to apoptosis, otherwise known as programmed cell death, has been the focus of numerous studies in the past, including cancer biology, neurodegenerative disorders, etc. Historically, mitochondrial functions, dysfunctions and their properties have been studied using millions of cells, via a series of molecular assays, and with high variability and heterogeneity within the mitochondrial populations under study. The rationale behind the methods used and developed in this thesis is to study these intricate organelles on micro and nano-scales, and on a single isolated vital mitochondrion capacity. Given the currently available nano technologies, it is now possible to design, optimize and develop platforms that would allow for such nano scale explorations of sub-cellular dynamics. Furthermore, we have attempted to optimize the design and deposition process of more pristine nanotube based biosensors. This process involved the testing and characterization of various types of filter papers, substrates and functionalization schemes, which were studied and will be the topic of research in future investigations.