Lipid peroxides are key mediators of diseases and cell death. They induce strong structural and dynamic alterations in the biological membranes, namely alteration of the area per lipid, thinning and changes in the strength modulus of the membrane, and also control membrane pore formation and induction of lipid segregation (membrane domains) via light-induced reactions.

In this project, these structural alterations are quantitatively evaluated from a combination of advanced SAXS (Small Angle X-Ray Scattering), and time-resolved florescence methodologies, allowing to retrieve e.g., the decrease in lipid bilayer bending rigidity, with a concomitant increase in bilayer stacking and inter-bilayer swelling, and also the membrane interface properties, which underwent a higher membrane hydration and microviscosity. This membrane damage will also be related to its effect on amyloid formation induced upon membrane interaction, and the photophysical processes related to singlet oxygen formation will also be addressed. This will allow us to rationalize later data obtained at the cell level.