Single molecule studies of DNA bending, looping and compacting proteins using optical tweezers and atomic force microscopy

Abstract

They have been instrumental in making the lab a fun environment to do research. And also a special thanks to Prof Stepanyants and Prof Nathan Israeloff who have helped me throughout my PhD. I would also like thank my committee members for their constructive criticism during on my research work, Prof Stepanyants, Prof Meni Wanunu, Prof Bryan Spring and Prof Wesley Wong. I would like to thank my family, my mom, my dad, Gobu, Sayida, Arasy and Gobi for their unconditional support all those long years. Also, I would like to thank my wife, my uncles, aunts, my cousins and my late grandparents. Throughout all of my school years I have never forgotten how lucky I am to have escaped and survived the civil war in Sri Lanka by finding refuge in France, and then to study science. Coming from a working-class background, this long journey would have been impossible without the support and help of so many dedicated teachers, public servants and regular people who provided their generous help to see us succeed. I would like to thank: Mme Desjardin, Mme