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UNSW Single Molecule Science

A new perspective of biological systems at the crossroads of many disciplines.

UNSW’s Single Molecule Science initiative focuses on transforming medicine by providing a molecular perspective on complex biological systems and processes. Our research spans traditional disciplines, including biophysics, biochemistry and cell biology while incorporating physics, chemistry, mathematics, nanotechnology and nanofabrication.

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Who is SMS

About us

A collaboration between biologists, physicists and engineers that feeds off the capacity of new microscopes and other technology to identify single molecules and analyse their behaviour in intact samples.

Main walkway at UNSW Campus

Our group leaders

Meet the people dedicated to our study.

Biomedical research

Our research

Working with single molecules for better health.

Follow us @SingMolSci

Latest news

The novel drug causes the HIV capsid to rupture before it can deliver its genetic material to the host cell nucleus. Image: HIV particles; Public Health Image Library

Stopping HIV in its tracks

Just over a year ago, the European Union and the US Food and Drug Administration approved a new anti-retroviral drug to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections.`

HIV virus. Image produced from an image taken with transmission electron microscopy. Image: Getty Images

How does HIV get into the cell's centre to kickstart infection?

UNSW medical researcher Dr David Jacques and his team have discovered how the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) breaches the cell nucleus to establish infection, a finding that has implications beyond HIV biology.

Dynein must bind to dynactin (magenta) and cargo before it can actively move toward the cell's centre, along microtubules (blue). Image provided

Powering cell transport by chance

Using live cell, single-molecule imaging in mammalian cells, UNSW Sydney medical researchers were able to watch the motor protein – dynein – in action as it moved molecular cargo along intracellular tracks. The exquisite molecular detail provided new insight into what drives dynein-mediated transport in mammalian cells and the dynamics of how this happens.

As human space travel increases, there is a need for better understanding of how spaceflight affects biological systems. Photo: Getty Images.

Unravelling the impacts of space travel

A UNSW Sydney researcher has been awarded a $1m grant by the US Air Force to investigate what happens to earthly life in reduced gravity.

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