Dr. Matin's laboratory studies improvment in prodrug cancer chemotherapy; genetic and protein engineering to improve biological processes, such as bioremediation; microbial biofilms; cellular resistance to antimicrobial agents; and microbial stress response.

Recent progress of the laboratory are:

• The ChrR enzyme has been crystallized and new improved mutants were obtained by rational design.
• Magnetite genes were expressed in mammalian cells.
• PK/PD studies of CNOB/ChrR anticancer therapy were completed.
• A new paradigm was worked out of bacterial sensitivity to antibiotics.
• In collaboration with NASA (Moffett Field) a protocol was developed to test hypotheses for increased bacterial antibiotic resistance by microgavity during actual space flight on board a small satellite