Biomimetic Membranes - A new approach to radiation damage research at the molecular level

This chapter addresses a new approach towards the study of physics of processes leading to radiation damage in biomolecules such as lipids, DNA, proteins and enzymes, assembled/organized in membrane like structures. The new approach consists on the building-up of thin layers onto solid substrates of basic cell constituents by making use of the layer-by-layer (LbL) technique in a fabrication controlled way. The major advantage of this technique lies on the production of mimetized membranes with cell constituents in a near cell environment namely in what concerns with water molecules content. The preparation of these handle able heterostructures allows the irradiation and characterization by thin films techniques "in situ". Preliminary results on the production details of such biomolecular layers are shown from DNA, DNA bases and lipids, and on the UV radiation effects on them.