Emma Sparr

I am professor in physical chemistry with focus om colloidal biology. Humans can be seen as water-rich bodies in a dry environment. Still, we do not desiccate. This fact is thanks to the barrier function of the outermost layer of the skin, the stratum corneum. The skin is a responding membrane, and its properties can be controlled by changes in the outside environment. A deeper molecular understanding of this response mechanism is of huge importance to, for example, develop formulations with drugs that can be absorbed through the skin and to prevent pollutants from entering.

My research aims at the link between molecular structure in membranes and their barrier properties, and how these propoertiues are affected by interactions between the membrane and other molecules. We study phenomena related to transport and structure of the skin, lung and in cell membranes. The strategy is to study general physical mechanisms and understand the role of these mechanisms in biological membranes.