Biological membranes are diverse, complex, and dynamic natural environments. The processes mediated by these environments are essential for life and span from molecular transport to protein function. Given the membrane's role in mediating the movement of molecules into bacterial cells, new approaches to evaluate its impact are essential for the study and advancement of antibiotics.

Through the use of second harmonic scattering, we can monitor the uptake and behavior of small molecules in the membranes of living bacterial cells. These capabilities have yielded insights into the impact of environmental ions on antibiotic binding and how small structural changes can alter molecule-membrane interactions. Overall, these techniques provide valuble information that can provide new directions in the continued pursuit of improved antibiotics.

Microemulsions are complex fluids with emergent properties that have enabled their use in a wide array of scientific and industrial applications, including oil recovery and oil spill cleanup, drug delivery systems, water purification, and nanomaterial synthesis. In addition, their ability to solubilize both aqueous and nonaqueous species has facilitated the use of microemulsions in many electrochemical systems. We are applying multiple dynamic fluorescence techniques to examine how small molecules localize and move withing the microenvironments of these heterogeneous samples.