Cationic Lipid Membranes
Gene therapy based on the introduction of genetic material into cells is one of the most promising biomedical approaches to treat human diseases. Cationic lipid membranes are known to form compact complexes with DNA and to be effective as gene delivery agents both in vitro and in vivo. Our research focuses on a detailed atomistic insight into the structural and dynamical properties of lipid bilayers consisting of a mixture of cationic and zwitterionic lipids as well as into the interactions of the cationic membranes with salt ions and DNA. Such an atomic-scale understanding of cationic lipid membranes is crucial for further development of gene delivery agents based on cationic liposomes.
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