The Materials at the Interface of Biology (MatInBio) group led by Assoc. Prof. Paul Joseph Kempen is part of the National Centre for Nano Fabrication and Characerization (DTU Nanolab) at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU). Our research is focused on the characterization materials and their interactions with biological systems using advanced electron microscopy techniques.
The structure of materials for use in biological systems can have a major effect on their performance and as such is critical to the proper design of for instance, drug delivery vehicles and diagnostic tools. At the same time, the accurate characterization of the interface between these materials and biological systems is critical to understanding the mechanisms behind their interactions. We utilize a host of methodologies including traditional fixation and resin embedding, critical point drying, cryo-fixation, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, and cryo- and room temperature scanning and transmission electron microscopy to characterize our systems and obtain the best possible results with a minimum of artefacts.