Sajith Jayasinghe

I joined the faculty of the Chemistry & Biochemistry department at CSUSM in the fall of 2005 after completing postdoctoral training, first at the University of California Irvine, and then at the University of Southern California.  At CSUSM I teach Biochemistry, Protein Structure and Function, General, Organic, and Biochemistry (GOB), as well as a chemistry course for general education (CHEM 315: Science in Film and TV).

My research involves the use of biochemical and biophysical techniques to investigate the structure and membrane association of polypeptides.  At the present time, the main research projects in the laboratory involve attempts to elucidate the structure and function of several proteins (CsgA, CsgB, CsgE, CsgF, and CsgG) involved in the formation of bacterial curli.  I am also interested in bacterial outer membrane proteins, especially those that have helical transmembrane segments.

I have three side projects that I try to pay attention to when I have time.  One of the side projects is an effort to re-build a Kendrew style brass model of a protein.  The model was in significant disrepair and I try to recruit students to help re-assemble the pieces.  The second side project is to build an app for the magic leap one spacial computing goggles to visualize protein structures.  The third project is my effort to write a series of affordable iBooks that may be useful for studetns studying biochemistry and general, organic, and biochemistry.