Bolaamphiphiles are molecules consisting of 2 hydrophilic headgroups connected by a lipophilic moiety.
Naturally, they occur as membrane constituents in so called extremophiles where they span the entire membrane, giving the membranes an extraordinary strength and resistivity to temperature and pressure. Bolaamphiphiles tend to self-assemble in water and form supramolecular aggregates with unique molecular organizations. They can also interact with phospholipids and incorporate into conventional lipid membranes.
Bolapolyphiles are molecules with an even more complex structure featuring several moieties with hydrophilic/lipophilic character or a portion with an additional affinity (e.g. fluorophilic)
Research:
Studying the molecular organizations of bolaamphiphiles with X-ray scattering. The structure of the bolaamphiphile (symmetry, chemical nature) is important for aggregation and lipid interaction
Investigate the self-assembly of bolapolyphiles in water with AFM, X-ray scattering or calorimetry (DSC)