About

T. Kyle Vanderlick is the Thomas E. Golden, Jr. Professor of Chemical & Environmental Engineering at Yale University. His academic background includes a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota and both M.S. and B.S. degrees from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. His research focuses on the properties of synthetic and biological membranes, molecular engineering of structured surfaces and nanostructures, and adhesion and surface forces. Vanderlick has been recognized with numerous awards and honors, including the President's Award for Distinguished Teaching at Princeton University, the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching at the University of Pennsylvania, and the David and Lucile Packard Fellowship. His scholarly contributions include investigations into membrane morphology changes, hybrid vesicle behavior, DNA-functionalized vesicle adhesion, and membrane phase partitioning, among others.

Research topics

• Chemistry
• Chemical physics
• Computer Science
• Physics
• Metallurgy
• Materials science
• Nanotechnology
• Organic chemistry
• Computational chemistry
• Statistical physics
• Mathematics

Selected publications

• The effect of ligands on the size distribution of copper nanoclusters: Insights from molecular dynamics simulations

  The Journal of Chemical Physics · 2024 · 4 citations

  • Computer Science
  • Chemical physics
  • Materials science

  Controlling the size distribution in the nucleation of copper particles is crucial for achieving nanocrystals with desired physical and chemical properties. However, their synthesis involves a complex system of solvents, ligands, and copper precursors with intertwining effects on the size of the nanoclusters. We combine molecular dynamics simulations and density functional theory calculations to provide insights into the nucleation mechanism in the presence of a triphenyl phosphite ligand. We identify the crucial role of the strength of the metal-phosphine interaction in inhibiting the cluster's growth. We demonstrate computationally several practical routes to fine-tune the interaction strength by modifying the side groups of the additive. Our work provides molecular insights into the complex nucleation process of protected copper nanocrystals, which can assist in controlling their size distribution and, eventually, their morphology.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• The effect of ligands on the size distribution of copper nanoclusters: insights from molecular dynamics simulations

  arXiv (Cornell University) · 2024

  • Chemical physics
  • Nanotechnology
  • Statistical physics

  Controlling the size distribution in the nucleation of copper particles is crucial for achieving nanocrystals with desired physical and chemical properties. However, their synthesis involves a complex system of solvents, ligands, and copper precursors with intertwining effects on the size of the nanoclusters. We combine molecular dynamics simulations and DFT calculations to provide insight into the nucleation mechanism in the presence of a triphenylphosphite ligand. We identify the crucial role of the strength of the metal-phosphine bond in inhibiting the cluster's growth. We demonstrate computationally several practical routes to fine-tune the bond strength by modifying the side groups of the additive. Our work provides molecular insight into the complex nucleation process of protected copper nanocrystals, which can assist in controlling their size distribution and, eventually, their morphology.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Toward On-Demand Polymorphic Transitions of Organic Crystals via Side Chain and Lattice Dynamics Engineering

  Journal of the American Chemical Society · 2024 · 26 citations

  • Chemistry
  • Chemical physics
  • Organic chemistry

  Controlling polymorphism, namely, the occurrence of multiple crystal forms for a given compound, is still an open technological challenge that needs to be addressed for the reliable manufacturing of crystalline functional materials. Here, we devised a series of 13 organic crystals engineered to embody molecular fragments undergoing specific nanoscale motion anticipated to drive cooperative order-disorder phase transitions. By combining polarized optical microscopy coupled with a heating/cooling stage, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, low-frequency Raman spectroscopy, and calculations (density functional theory and molecular dynamics), we proved the occurrence of cooperative transitions in all the crystalline systems, and we demonstrated how both the molecular structure and lattice dynamics play crucial roles in these peculiar solid-to-solid transformations. These results introduce an efficient strategy to design polymorphic molecular crystalline materials endowed with specific molecular-scale lattice and macroscopic dynamics.

  PublisherDOI

• Micro-motors: A motile bacteria based system for liposome cargo transport

  Scientific Reports · 2016-07-05 · 34 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Biological micro-motors (microorganisms) have potential applications in energy utilization and nanotechnology. However, harnessing the power generated by such motors to execute desired work is extremely difficult. Here, we employ the power of motile bacteria to transport small, large, and giant unilamellar vesicles (SUVs, LUVs, and GUVs). Furthermore, we demonstrate bacteria-bilayer interactions by probing glycolipids inside the model membrane scaffold. Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) spectroscopic and microscopic methods were utilized for understanding these interactions. We found that motile bacteria could successfully propel SUVs and LUVs with a velocity of 28 μm s(-1) and 13 μm s(-1), respectively. GUVs, however, displayed Brownian motion and could not be propelled by attached bacteria. Bacterial velocity decreased with the larger loaded cargo, which agrees with our calculations of loaded bacteria swimming at low Reynolds number.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Removal of Particulate Contamination from Solid Surfaces Using Polymeric Micropillars

  ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces · 2016-04-21 · 15 citations

  articleSenior author

  This Research Article describes a novel method for removal of particulate contamination, loosely referred to as dust, from solid surfaces using polymeric micropillars. In this Research Article, we illustrate for the first time that polymeric microfibrils of controlled interfacial and geometrical properties can effectively remove micrometric and submicrometric contaminant particles from a solid surface without damaging the underlying substrate. Once these microfibrils are brought into contact with a contaminated surface, because of their their soft and flexible structure, they develop intimate contact with both the surface contaminants and the substrate. While these intrinsically nonsticky micropillars have minimal interfacial interactions with the substrate, we show that they produce strong interfacial interactions with the contaminant particles, granting the detachment of the particles from the surface upon retraction of the cleaning material. The origin and strength of the interfacial interactions at the interfaces between a contaminant particle and both the substrate and the cleaning materials are thoroughly discussed. Unlike flat substrates of the same material, using microfibrillar structures of controlled interfacial and geometrical properties also allows the elimination of the adsorbed particles from the contact interface. Here we demonstrate that by moving the adsorbed particles from the tip to the side of the fibrils and consequently removing them from the contact interface, polymeric microfibrils can clean all contaminant particles from the surface. The effects of the geometrical and interfacial properties of polymeric micropillars on removing the adsorbed particles from the tips of the pillars are fully discussed. This research is not only important in terms of introducing a novel method which can offer a new paradigm for thorough yet nondestructive cleaning of dust particles from solid surfaces, but also it is of fundamental significance for researchers with interests in exploiting the benefits offered by microstructured surfaces in development of interfacially active materials and devices.

  PublisherDOI

• Application of nucleic acid–lipid conjugates for the programmable organisation of liposomal modules

  Advances in Colloid and Interface Science · 2014-01-03 · 69 citations

  reviewSenior authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Water-Soluble Anisotropic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles: Dextran-Coated Crystalline Nanoplates and Nanoflowers

  Particulate Science And Technology · 2013-10-23 · 4 citations

  article

  We report a simple phase transfer based synthesis route for two novel anisotropic water soluble iron oxide nanoparticle shapes, namely, nanoplates and nanoflowers. The nanoplates and nanoflowers are initially prepared in an organic solvent via a modified “heat-up” method. Then, the crystalline nanoparticles are rendered hydrophilic via sonication in the presence of dextran and water. These nanoparticles are highly monodisperse and superparamagnetic at room temperature. High resolution transmission electron microscopy indicates that the iron oxides cores are not affected by the phase transfer. Dextran coating is confirmed by dynamic light scattering, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The obtained dextran coverage was 26 wt% for the nanoplates and 37 wt% for the nanoflowers. The nanoplates and nanoflowers were not only water soluble, but also remained stable at different pH (4–7) and in common aqueous buffer solutions. Thorough characterizations of the nonspherical iron oxide nanoparticles indicate that these particles could be useful for potential biomedical applications and magnetic resonance imaging.

  PublisherDOI

• Spermatozoa as a transport system of large unilamellar lipid vesicles into the oocyte

  Reproductive BioMedicine Online · 2013-12-04 · 10 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Cytochrome <i>c</i> causes pore formation in cardiolipin-containing membranes

  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · 2013-04-01 · 140 citations

  articleOpen access

  The release of cytochrome c from mitochondria is a key signaling mechanism in apoptosis. Although extramitochondrial proteins are thought to initiate this release, the exact mechanisms remain unclear. Cytochrome c (cyt c) binds to and penetrates lipid structures containing the inner mitochondrial membrane lipid cardiolipin (CL), leading to protein conformational changes and increased peroxidase activity. We describe here a direct visualization of a fluorescent cyt c crossing synthetic, CL-containing membranes in the absence of other proteins. We observed strong binding of cyt c to CL in phospholipid vesicles and bursts of cyt c leakage across the membrane. Passive fluorescent markers such as carboxyfluorescein and a 10-kDa dextran polymer crossed the membrane simultaneously with cyt c, although larger dextrans did not. The data show that these bursts result from the opening of lipid pores formed by the cyt c-CL conjugate. Pore formation and cyt c leakage were significantly reduced in the presence of ATP. We suggest a model, consistent with these findings, in which the formation of toroidal lipid pores is driven by initial cyt c-induced negative spontaneous membrane curvature and subsequent protein unfolding interactions. Our results suggest that the CL-cyt c interaction may be sufficient to allow cyt c permeation of mitochondrial membranes and that cyt c may contribute to its own escape from mitochondria during apoptosis.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Lytic and Non-Lytic Permeabilization of Cardiolipin-Containing Lipid Bilayers Induced by Cytochrome c

  PLoS ONE · 2013-07-22 · 14 citations

  articleOpen access

  The release of cytochrome c (cyt c) from mitochondria is an important early step during cellular apoptosis, however the precise mechanism by which the outer mitochondrial membrane becomes permeable to these proteins is as yet unclear. Inspired by our previous observation of cyt c crossing the membrane barrier of giant unilamellar vesicle model systems, we investigate the interaction of cyt c with cardiolipin (CL)-containing membranes using the innovative droplet bilayer system that permits electrochemical measurements with simultaneous microscopy observation. We find that cyt c can permeabilize CL-containing membranes by induction of lipid pores in a dose-dependent manner, with membrane lysis eventually observed at relatively high (µM) cyt c concentrations due to widespread pore formation in the membrane destabilizing its bilayer structure. Surprisingly, as cyt c concentration is further increased, we find a regime with exceptionally high permeability where a stable membrane barrier is still maintained between droplet compartments. This unusual non-lytic state has a long lifetime (>20 h) and can be reversibly formed by mechanically separating the droplets before reforming the contact area between them. The transitions between behavioural regimes are electrostatically driven, demonstrated by their suppression with increasing ionic concentrations and their dependence on CL composition. While membrane permeability could also be induced by cationic PAMAM dendrimers, the non-lytic, highly permeable membrane state could not be reproduced using these synthetic polymers, indicating that details in the structure of cyt c beyond simply possessing a cationic net charge are important for the emergence of this unconventional membrane state. These unexpected findings may hold significance for the mechanism by which cyt c escapes into the cytosol of cells during apoptosis.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Meirav Apel-Paz

  Eastern Virginia Medical School

  22 shared

• Gustavo F. Doncel

  Eastern Virginia Medical School

  22 shared

• Paul A. Beales

  University of Leeds

  17 shared

• R. Quon

  Applied Materials (United States)

  14 shared

• Christopher M. Doelling

  Princeton University

  11 shared

• G. Scoles

  University of Udine

  11 shared

• T. Randall Lee

  University of Houston

  10 shared

• Kevin P. Girard

  Pfizer (United States)

  10 shared

Awards & honors

• Presented the Ethel Z. Casassa Memorial Lecture at Carnegie…
• Presented the Grace Hopper Lecture at the University at Penn…
• President's Award for Distinguished Teaching: Princeton Univ…
• Van Ness Lectures Presenter at Rensselaer Polytechnic Instit…
• Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Award for Distinguished Te…