Publication list also available at Google Scholar.
AFM image analysis software (SmarTrace, AutoSmarTrace) is available for download from github.

Schematic of a protease Lawnmower mowing a peptide lawn

Motility of an autonomous protein-based artificial motor that operates via a burnt-bridge principle. [aka the Lawnmower!] C.S. Korosec, I. Unksov, P. Surendiran, R. Lyttleton, P.M.G. Curmi, C.N. Angstmann, R. Eichhorn, H. Linke and N.R. Forde. Nature Communications 15, 1511 (2024) [journal] [arXiv]

microscopy images of collagen fibrils destroyed by increasing fluence of 222 nm radiation

Fluence-dependent degradation of fibrillar type I collagen by 222 nm far-UVC radiation. A. Kowalewski and N.R. Forde. PLoS ONE 19, e0292298 (2024) [journal] [bioRxiv]

Line optical tweezers as controllable micromachines: techniques and emerging trends. Y. Shen, D.A. Weitz, N.R. Forde and M. Shayegan. Soft Matter 18, 5359-5365 (2022) [journal]

observing molecular motors

Through the Eyes of Creators: Observing Artificial Molecular Motors. I.N. Unksov, C.S. Korosec, P. Surendiran, D. Verardo, R. Lyttleton, N.R. Forde and H. Linke. ACS Nanosci. Au 2, 140–159 (2022) [journal]

collagen IV flexibility profile with model fit

Sequence-dependent mechanics of collagen reflect its structural and functional organization. A. Al-Shaer, A. Lyons, Y. Ishikawa, B.G. Hudson, S.P. Boudko and N.R. Forde. Biophysical Journal 120, 4013-4028 (2021) [journal] [bioRxiv]

AFM image of collagen with autlmatically traced chains

AutoSmarTrace: Automated Chain Tracing and Flexibility Analysis of Biological Filaments. M. Schneider, A. Al-Shaer and N.R. Forde. Biophysical Journal 120, 2599-2608 (2021) [journal] [bioRxiv] [Code]

multivalent walker

Multivalent Diffusive Transport. A. Kowalewski, N.R. Forde and C.S. Korosec. Journal of Physical Chemistry B 125, 6857–6863 (2021) [journal] [arXiv]

Korosec 2021

Substrate stiffness tunes the dynamics of polyvalent rolling motors. C.S. Korosec, L. Jindal, M. Schneider, I. Calderon de la Barca, M.J. Zuckermann, N.R. Forde and E. Emberly. Soft Matter 17, 1468-1479 (2021) [journal]

optical tweezers probing collagen

Optical tweezers approaches for probing multiscale protein mechanics and assembly. K. Lehmann, M. Shayegan, G.A. Blab and N.R. Forde. Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences 7, 577314 (2020) [journal] [arXiv]

MSD of BBRs

Apparent superballistic dynamics in one-dimensional random walks with biased detachment. C.S. Korosec, D.A. Sivak and N.R. Forde. Physical Review Research 2, 033520 (2020) [journal] [arXiv]

Synthetic biology approaches to dissecting linear motor protein function: towards the design and synthesis of artificial autonomous protein walkers. H. Linke, B. Höcker, K. Furuta, N.R. Forde and P.M.G. Curmi. Biophysical Reviews, 12, 1041-1054 (2020)[journal]

collagen IV flexibility profile

Characterizing the Flexibility of the Body’s Building Block: Collagen. A. Al-Shaer, A. Lyons and N.R. Forde. Physics in Canada, 75, 14-17 (2019)[journal]

Kirkness 2019

Mechanics and Structural Stability of the Collagen Triple Helix. M.W.H. Kirkness, K. Lehmann and N.R. Forde. Current Opinion in Chemical Biology 53, 98-105 (2019)[journal] [arXiv]

NC1 domain dissociation

A chloride ring is an ancient evolutionary innovation mediating the assembly of the collagen IV scaffold of basement membranes. V. Pedchenko, R. Bauer, E.N. Pokidysheva, A. Al-Shaer, N.R. Forde, A.L. Fidler, B.G. Hudson and S.P. Boudko. Journal of Biological Chemistry 294, 7968-7981 (2019)[journal] [pdf]

The Bar-Hinge Motor: A synthetic protein design exploiting conformational switching to achieve directional motility. L.S.R. Small, M.J. Zuckermann, R.B. Sessions, P.M.G. Curmi, H. Linke, N.R. Forde and E.H.C. Bromley. New Journal of Physics 21, 013002 (2019)[journal]

Kirkness Langmuir 2018

Modified Pluronic F127 surface for bioconjugation and blocking nonspecific adsorption of microspheres and biomacromolecules. M.H.W. Kirkness, C.S. Korosec and N.R. Forde. Langmuir 34, 13550-13557 (2018)[journal]

Rezaei 2018

Environmentally controlled curvature of single collagen proteins. N. Rezaei*, A. Lyons* and N.R. Forde, Biophysical Journal 115, 1457-1469 (2018) [journal] [bioRxiv] [arXiv] [Code]

position distribution of BBRs on narrow track

Dimensionality-dependent crossover in motility of polyvalent burnt-bridges ratchets. C.S. Korosec, M.J. Zuckermann and N.R. Forde, Physical Review E 98, 032114 (2018)[journal] [arXiv]

Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS) module for advanced undergraduate laboratories. N.R. Forde, D. Lee and J. Bechhoefer, 2018 Conference on Laboratory Instruction Beyond the First Year of College (BFY) Proceedings (2018)[weblink]

Kirkness 2018 BJ

Single-molecule assay for proteolytic susceptibility using centrifuge force microscopy: force-induced destabilization of collagen's triple helix. M.W.H. Kirkness and N.R. Forde. Biophysical Journal 114, 570–576 (2018)[journal] [bioRxiv]

Genetically modified human type II collagen for N- and C-terminal covalent tagging. A. Wieczorek, C.K. Chan, S. Kovacic, C. Li, T. Dierks and N.R. Forde. Canadian Journal of Chemistry 96, 204-211 (2018) [journal] [bioRxiv]

Loosemore 2017

Effects of finite and discrete sampling and blur on microrheology experiments. V.E. Loosemore and N.R. Forde. Optics Expess 25, 31239-31252 (2017)[journal]

Engineering Nanoscale Biological Molecular Motors. C.S. Korosec and N.R. Forde. Physics in Canada 73, 78-81 (2017) [arXiv] [pdf]

Gaining practical experience with Physics approaches to the micro- and nanoscale world of biology. N.R. Forde. Physics in Canada 73, 109-112 (2017)[pdf]

Nanophysical Approaches to Biological Systems (foreword). J. Dutcher, N.R. Forde and S. Leslie. Physics in Canada 73, 59-60 (2017) [pdf]

Bruning, A.R. Thomson, A.L. Boyle, R. Davies, P.M.G. Curmi, N.R. Forde, H. Linke, D.N. Woolfson and E.H.C. Bromley. ACS Synthetic Biology 6, 1096-1102 (2017)[journal]

Construction of a chassis for a tripartite protein-based molecular motor. L.S.R. Small, M. Bruning, A.R. Thomson, A.L. Boyle, R. Davies, P.M.G. Curmi, N.R. Forde, H. Linke, D.N. Woolfson and E.H.C. Bromley. ACS Synthetic Biology 6, 1096-1102 (2017) [journal]

Shayegan 2016

Intact telopeptides enhance interactions between collagens. M. Shayegan*, T. Altindal*, E. Kiefl and N.R. Forde. Biophysical Journal 111, 2404 (2016).[journal]

Development and characterization of a eukaryotic expression system for human type II procollagen. A. Wieczorek, N. Rezaei, C.K. Chan, C. Xu, P. Panwar, D. Brömme, E.F. Merschrod S. and N.R. Forde. BMC Biotechnology 15, 112 (2015). [journal] [Lay summary]

Motor properties from persistence: a linear molecular walker lacking spatial and temporal asymmetry. M.J. Zuckermann, C.N. Angstmann, R. Schmitt, G.A. Blab, E.H.C. Bromley, N.R. Forde, H. Linke and P.M.G. Curmi. New Journal of Physics 17, 055017 (2015) [journal]

Design and construction of the lawnmower, an artificial burnt-bridges motor. S. Kovacic, L. Samii, P.M.G. Curmi, H. Linke, M.J. Zuckermann and N.R. Forde. IEEE Transactions on NanoBioscience 4, 305-312 (2015)[journal] [author-submitted pdf]

Probing Telopeptide-Induced Collagen-Collagen Interactions Using Optical-Tweezers-Based Microrheology. T. Altindal, M. Shayegan, E. Kiefl and N.R. Forde, in Optical Trapping Applications (Optical Society of America, Washington, DC, 2015), OtM3E.3 [journal] [article]

Fluidic Switching in Nanochannels for Control of Inchworm: A Synthetic Biomolecular Motor with a Power Stroke. C.S. Niman, M.J. Zuckermann, M. Balaz, J.O. Tegenfeldt, P.M.G. Curmi, N.R. Forde and H. Linke. Nanoscale 6, 15008-15019 (2014) [journal]

Construction and Characterization of Kilobasepair Densely Labeled Peptide-DNA. S. Kovacic, L. Samii, G. Lamour, H. Li, H. Linke, E.H.C. Bromley, D.N. Woolfson, P.M.G. Curmi and N.R. Forde. Biomacromolecules 15, 4065–4072 (2014)[journal]

Probing multiscale mechanics of collagen with optical tweezers. M. Shayegan, N. Rezaei, N.H. Lam, T. Altindal, A. Wieczorek and N.R. Forde. in Optical Trapping and Optical Micromanipulation X, edited by K. Dholakia and G.C. Spalding, Proceedings of SPIE 8810 88101P (2013)[journal]

Microrheological Characterization of Collagen Systems: From Molecular Solutions to Fibrillar Gels. M. Shayegan and N.R. Forde. PLoS ONE 8, e70590 (2013)[journal]

Controlled microfluidic switching in arbitrary time-sequences with low drag. C.S. Niman, J.P. Beech, J.O. Tegenfeldt, P.M.G. Curmi, D.N. Woolfson, N.R. Forde and H. Linke. Lab on a Chip 13, 2389-2396 (2013)

Squaring the Circle in Peptide Assembly: From Fibers to Discrete Nanostructures by de Novo Design. A.L. Boyle, E.H.C. Bromley, G.J. Bartlett, R.B. Sessions, T.H. Sharp, C.L. Williams, P.M.G. Curmi, N.R. Forde, H. Linke and D.N. Woolfson. Journal of the American Chemical Society 134, 15457–15467 (2012)

Probing the Viscoelasticity of Collagen Solutions via Optical-Tweezers-Based Microrheology. M. Shayegan and N.R. Forde. MRS Proceedings 1465, mrss12-1465-ss06-08 (2012)

Design and Construction of a One-Dimensional DNA Track for an Artificial Molecular Motor. S. Kovacic*, L. Samii*, D. N. Woolfson, P.M.G. Curmi, H. Linke, N.R. Forde and G.A. Blab. Journal of Nanomaterials 2012, 109238 (2012)

Tuning the performance of an artificial protein motor. N.J. Kuwada, M.J. Zuckermann, E.H.C. Bromley, R.B. Sessions, P.M.G. Curmi, N.R. Forde, D.N. Woolfson and H. Linke, Physical Review E 84, 031922 (2011)

Positional stability of holographic optical traps. A. Farré, M. Shayegan, C. López-Quesada, G.A. Blab, M. Montes-Usategui, N.R. Forde and E. Martín-Badosa, Optics Express 19, 21370-21384 (2011)

Time-dependent motor properties of multipedal molecular spiders. L. Samii, G.A. Blab, E.H.C. Bromley, H. Linke, P.M.G. Curmi, M.J. Zuckermann and N.R. Forde, Physical Review E 84, 031111 (2011)

Using optical tweezers to study mechanical properties of collagen. N. Rezaei, B.P.B. Downing, A. Wieczorek, C.K.Y. Chan, R.L. Welch and N.R. Forde. in Photonics North 2011, edited by R. Kashyap, M. Têtu and R.N. Kleiman, Proceedings of SPIE 8007 80070K (2011)

Stretching single DNA molecules to demonstrate high-force capabilities of holographic optical tweezers. A. Farré*, A. van der Horst*, G.A. Blab, B.P.B. Downing and N.R. Forde. Journal of Biophotonics 3, 224-233 (2010)

Biased motion and molecular motor properties of bipedal spiders. L. Samii, H. Linke, M.J. Zuckermann and N.R. Forde, Physical Review E 81, 021106 (2010)

The Tumbleweed: towards a synthetic protein motor. E.H.C. Bromley, N.J. Kuwada, M.J. Zuckermann, R. Donadini, L. Samii, G.A. Blab, G.J. Gemmen, B.J. Lopez, P.M.G. Curmi, N.R. Forde, D.N. Woolfson and H. Linke, HFSP Journal 3, 204-212 (2009)

Probing the Elasticity of Short Proteins with Optical Tweezers. B.P.D. Downing, A. van der Horst, M. Miao, F.W. Keeley and N.R. Forde, in Optical Trapping Applications (Optical Society of America, Washington, DC, 2009), OTuA3

Position and Intensity Modulations in Holographic Optical Traps Created by a Liquid Crystal Spatial Light Modulator. A. van der Horst, B.P.D. Downing and N.R. Forde, in Optical Trapping Applications (Optical Society of America, Washington, DC, 2009), OMB3

Calibration of dynamic holographic optical tweezers for force measurements on biomaterials. A. van der Horst and N.R. Forde, Opt. Express 16, 20987-21003 (2008)

Thermal Probing of E. coli RNA Polymerase Off-Pathway Mechanisms. Y.X. Mejia, H. Mao, N.R. Forde and C. Bustamante, J. Mol. Biol. 382, 628-637 (2008)

Brownian Motion in a Modulated Optical Trap. Y. Deng, J. Bechhoefer and N.R. Forde, J. Opt. A: Pure Appl. Opt. 9, S256-S263 (2007) [special issue on optical trapping] Featured in the November/December 2007 issue of Europhysics News.

Mechanical processes in biochemistry. C. Bustamante, Y.R. Chemla, N.R. Forde and D. Izhaky, Ann. Rev. Biochem. 73, 705-748 (2004) [authors listed alphabetically]

Using mechanical force to probe the mechanism of pausing and arrest during continuous elongation by Escherichia coli RNA polymerase. N.R. Forde, D. Izhaky, G.R. Woodcock, G.J.L. Wuite and C. Bustamante, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 99, 11682-11687 (2002)

Papers from Nancy's earlier life in Chemical Physics:

Characterization of nitrogen-containing radical products from the photodissociation of trimethylamine using photoionization detection. N.R. Forde, L.J. Butler, O. Sorkhabi, F. Qi, A. Suits and B. Ruscic, J. Chem. Phys. 113, 3088-3097 (2000)

Photodissociating Trimethylamine at 193 nm to Probe Dynamics at a Conical Intersection and to Calibrate Radical Detection Efficiency. N.R. Forde, M.L. Morton, S.L. Curry, S.J. Wrenn and L.J. Butler, J. Chem. Phys. 111, 4558-4568 (1999)

Electronic accessibility of dissociation channels in an amide: N,N-dimethylformamide photodissociation at 193 nm. N.R. Forde, L.J. Butler and S. A. Abrash, J. Chem. Phys. 110, 8954-8968 (1999)

Chemical Reaction Dynamics when the Born-Oppenheimer Approximation Fails: Understanding Which Changes in the Electronic Wavefunction might be Restricted. N.R. Forde, T.L. Myers and L.J. Butler, Faraday Discussions 108, 221-242 (1997)

Photodissociation of Acrylic Acid at 193 nm. D.C. Kitchen, N.R. Forde and L.J. Butler, J. Phys. Chem. A 101, 6603-6610 (1997)