BA, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México PhD, Cambridge University Advisory Committee, National Science Foundation Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate (2005-08) Solid State Science Committee, National Research Council, the National Academies (2006-09) Additional Awards and Honors Polymer theory; phase transformations; polyelectrolytes

Research Group Website

Multicomponent mixtures of complex molecules have competing interactions of different length scales which can be used to design a large variety of assemblies with important technological and biomedical applications. Oppositely charged biomolecules, such as polynucleotides and proteins, for example, co-assemble into functional units including nucleosomes and viruses at specific ionic concentrations. The driving force for association of oppositely charged macroions is counterion release and strong ionic correlations upon association. We analyze co-assemblies of cationic and anionic biological and synthetic molecules and their stability in different ionic media by using a combination of liquid theory and solid state physics techniques. We analyze the physical properties of mixtures of cationic and anionic amphiphiles co-assembled into lipid membranes, vesicles and micelles. We also analyze surface patterns induced by the adsorption of charged biomolecules onto oppositely charged surfaces, such as cationic proteins onto actin, and determine the attraction mechanism among surfaces with charge heterogeneities. We investigate the thermodynamics, statistics and dynamics of multicomponent molecular fluids including interface adsorption of minority components and phase segregation kinetics. In solutions containing copolymers, for example, the interface adsorption is enhanced and a large variety of structures with unique applications including inverted micelles for drug delivery are obtained.

Recent Publications

P. Gonzalez-Mozuleos and M. Olvera de la Cruz “Asymmetric charge renormalization for nanoparticles in aqueous media” Phys. Rev. E  79, 031901 (2009).

G. Vernizzi, K.L. Kohlstedt, and M. Olvera de la Cruz “On the Electrostatic Origin of Chiral Patterns on Nanofibers”  Soft Matter 5, 736-739  (2009).

W. Kung, F. J. Solis and M. Olvera de la Cruz “Thermodynamics of Ternary Electrolytes: Enhanced Adsorption of Macroions as Minority Component at Liquid Interfaces” J. Chem. Phys. 130, 044502 (2009).

M. Olvera de la Cruz, A. V. Ermoshkin, M. A. Carignano, I. Szleifer “Analytical Theory and Monte Carlo Simulations of Gel formation of Charged Chains” Soft Matter 5, 629-636  (2009).

M. Olvera de la Cruz. Electrostatic Control of Self-Organization: the Role of Charge Gradients in Heterogeneous Media. Soft Matter, 4, 1735-1739 (2008).

D. Zhang and M. Olvera de la Cruz. Nano-Patterns in Tethered Membranes of Weakly Charged Chains with Hydrophobic Backbones. Macromolecules, 41, 6612-6614 (2008).

Y. S. Velichko, S. I. Stupp, and M. Olvera de la Cruz. Molecular Simulation Study of Peptide Amphiphiles Self-Assembly. J. Phys. Chem. B, 112 (8), 2326 -2334 (2008).

G. Vernizzi and M. Olvera de la Cruz. Faceting ionic shells into icosahedra via electrostatics.  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 104 (47) 18382-86 (2007).

K.L. Kohlstedt, F. Solis, G. Vernizzi, and M. Olvera de la Cruz. Spontaneous Chirality via Long-Range Electrostatic Forces. Phys. Rev Lett. 99, 030602 (2007).

S. M. Loverde, F. J. Solis and M. Olvera de la Cruz. Charged Particles on Surfaces: Coexistence of Dilute Phases and Periodic Structures at Interfaces. Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 237802 (2007).

A. Kudlay, J. M. Gibbs, G. C. Schatz, S. T. Nguyen and M. Olvera de la Cruz. Sharp Melting of Polymer-DNA Hybrids: An Associative Phase Separation Approach. Journal of Physical Chemistry B 111, 1610-1619 (2007).

Awards and Honors

• Advisory Committee, Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate, National Science Foundation (2005-09)
• Chair, Advisory Committee, Division of Materials Research, National Sciences Foundation (2007-09)
• Dow Distinguished Lecturer, University of California   Santa Barbara (2008)
• 2007 Cozzarelli Prize in Engineering and Applied Sciences, Proceeding of the National Academy of  Sciences.
• Solid State Science Committee, National Research Council, the National Academy of Sciences (Vice-chair 2008-10; member 2006-08)
• Research at the Intersection of Physical and Life Sciences Committee, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences (2007-09)
  Chair, NSF-MRSEC Directors Executive Committee (2008-09)
• Baetjer Lectures, Princeton University (2005)
• Visiting Professor, Service de Physique Theorique, Commissariat a l’Energie Atomique, CE-Saclay, France (2003)
• Fellow of the American Physical Society (2001)
• Scientific Member, Commissariat a l’Energie Atomique, CE-Saclay, France (1995-97)
• Visiting Scientist, Service de Chimie Moleculaire, Commissariat a l’Energie Atomique, CE-Saclay, France (1993)
• Presidential Young Investigator Award, National Science Foundation (1990-95)
• Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship (1990-92)
• David and Lucile Packard Fellowship (1989-94)
• FIRST Award, National Institutes of Health (1988-93)
  

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Prof. Monica Olvera de la Cruz
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Northwestern University
2145 Sheridan Road
Evanston, IL 60208-3120

tel: 847/491-7801
fax: 847/491-3728
E-mail Professor Olvera

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