DNA facilitates heterodimerization between human transcription factors FoxP1 and FoxP2 by increasing their conformational flexibility.
Coñuecar R., Asela I., Rivera M., Galaz-Davison P., González-Higueras J.,…
Latest Publications
Domain tethering impacts dimerization and DNA-mediated allostery in the human transcription factor FoxP1
Cruz P., Paredes N., Asela I., Kolimi N., Molina J.…
Coevolution and smFRET Enhances Conformation Sampling and FRET Experimental Design in Tandem PDZ1-2 Proteins
Krishnamohan A., Hamilton G. L., Goutam R., Sanabria H., &…
Latest Developments in the Lab
Welcome to the
Single Molecule Biophysics Lab
The SMBLab is part of the biophysics core at Clemson’s University Department of Physics and Astronomy. The group is led by Prof. Hugo Sanabria.
SMBLab Vision Statement
We use state-of-the-art single-molecule techniques to probe the structure, dynamics, and interactions of biomolecules in living cells. Our research is driven by a passion for discovery and a commitment to using our knowledge to improve human health.
We believe that single-molecule biophysics is a powerful tool for unraveling the mysteries of health and disease. By studying the behavior of individual molecules, we can gain insights into how biological systems work and how they can be manipulated to improve health. Our vision is to be a leading center for single-molecule biophysics research and to use our knowledge to make a significant impact on the world.
Vision Statement
To advance science by understanding biomolecular machines at the molecular level– how they store, process, and transfer information by studying the interrelation of their structure, dynamics, and function.
Here are some specific goals:
- Invest in the next generation of single-molecule biophysicists.
- Develop new single-molecule techniques that allow us to study biological systems with unprecedented resolution.
- Understand the molecular basis of biological function, including how proteins, DNA, and RNA interact to carry out essential cellular processes.
- Discover new therapeutic targets for diseases such as cancer, neurodegeneration, and infectious diseases.
- Develop new tools for bioengineering, such as synthetic DNA and proteins that can be used to create new therapies and diagnostic methods.
SMBLab Core Values
Latest News
Clemson scientist Hugo Sanabria receives grant to continue cancer research
Hugo Sanabria has received a National Institutes of Health grant to continue cancer research after his Clemson University School of Health Research (CUSHR) Faculty Fellowship
Novel approach gives researchers unprecedented view of protein that plays a role in neurological disorders
Two Clemson University groups are among the international team of researchers that developed a novel and technologically advanced approach that offers an unprecedented view of a protein linked to many neurological disorders.
George Hamilton Graduation
Dr. George Hamilton successfully defended his Ph.D. dissertation on March 29, 2022, and graduated this Spring 2022. He starts his new position as a postdoctoral fellow at the laboratory of Dr. Eli Rothenberg at New York University School of Medicine.
Doctoral Dissertation Completion Grant
The Clemson University Doctoral Dissertation Completion Grants, a collaborative effort between the Offices of the Vice President for Research and the Dean of the Graduate School, are intended to decrease time to degree and to support higher quality outcomes among students nearing graduation where relatively modest resources will make a large difference.
Research devises protocol for measuring distances within biomolecules
Published this week in Nature Methods, a team of 27 labs across the world – including Hugo Sanabria’s “Single Molecule Biophysics” lab at Clemson University – came together to devise a standard protocol for measuring distances in biomolecules.
Board of Trustees presents Sanabria with Award for Excellence
CLEMSON – Hugo Sanabria of the College of Science has been recognized by Clemson’s Board of Trustees with the 2018 Award for Excellence. Sanabria is an assistant professor in the department of physics and astronomy and a rising star in the field […]
Sanabria receives 2019 Young Fluorescence Investigator award
CLEMSON – College of Science physicist Hugo Sanabria has been named the recipient of the 2019 Young Fluorescence Investigator award by the Biophysical Society. The peer-nominated award is given to a pre-tenured investigator for outstanding achievements in the use of […]
Sanabria research on cell cycle regulation featured in Nature Communications
Clemson University College of Science physicist Hugo Sanabria’s collaborative research on a protein that is considered to be a suppressor of cancerous tumors has been featured in the journal Nature Communications.
Meet a Tiger: Hugo Sanabria, associate professor of physics and astronomy
Hugo Sanabria looks into the smallest places to find answers to life’s biggest questions. An associate professor doing research in biophysics, Sanabria joined Clemson’s physics and astronomy department in 2014 and went about designing and building a microscope that could zoom in to a single molecule and measure its movement in time and space.
Advanced optical imaging technique may lead to structure-guided drug design
A Clemson University College of Science researcher, together with a team of researchers, developed and demonstrated new optical imaging methods to monitor a single molecule in action. This fluorescence-based technique may accelerate the field of structural biology, helping scientists better understand how molecules are assembled, function, and interact, which in turn may aid in structure-guided…
Clemson researcher studies cancer in fellowship through School of Health
Hugo Sanabria is researching cancerous genetic mutations and personalized medicine to treat cancer as part of an embedded fellowship within the Prisma Health Cancer Institute. Sanabria, an associate professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, has been named the newest Clemson University School of Health Research (CUSHR) Faculty Fellow.
College of Science honors outstanding students in 2021 awards ceremony
The College of Science honored some of its most outstanding undergraduate and graduate students during a virtual awards ceremony on April 9. “We are here to honor the best and brightest in the College of Science,” said Leigh Anne Clark, […]