Craig D Blanchette

Contact information

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
7000 East Avenue
Livermore, CA 94550
email: blanchette2@llnl.gov
phone: 925 422 5706

 

Education

Ph.D. - Biophysics - University of California at Davis 2006
B.S. - Biology and Physics - Vassar College 2000
 

Research

My research interests span a wide range of diverse disciplines, includind developing technology to solubilize membrane proteins using nanolipoprotein particles (NLPs), characterizing the nano-scale structure of NLPs using high resolution imaging techniques, studying different mechanisms of pathogen invasion into host cells, developing assays to quantify the temporal and spatial process of pathogen internalization, and utilizing atomic force microscopy (AFM) to measure the mechanical properties of live cells in situ.  My current research as a staff scientist focuses on the development of multifunctional nanolipoprotein particles (NLPs) as in vivo delivery vehicles for vaccine, cancer therapeutics, immunomodulation and bone healing agents.  

Recent publications

Fischer NO, Blanchette CD, Rasley A. “Enhancing the efficacy of innate immune agonists: could nanolipoprotein particles hold the key?” Nanomedicine, 2014, 9:369

Fischer NO, Rasley A, Blanchette CD. “Nanoparticles and antigen delivery: Understanding the benefits and drawbacks of different delivery platforms”. Nanomedicine, 2014, 9:373.

Fischer NO, Weilhammer DR, Dunkle A, Thomas C, Hwang M, Corzett M, Lychak C, Mayer W, Urbin S, Collette N, Chiun Chang J, Loots GG, Rasley A, Blanchette CD. “Evaluation of Nanolipoprotein Particles (NLPs) as an In Vivo Delivery Platform”. PLoS ONE, 2014 9(3):e93342. PMID: 24675794.

Weilhammer DR, Blanchette CD, Fischer NO, Alam S, Loots GG, Corzett M, Thomas C, Lychak, C, Dunkle AD, Ruitenberg JJ, Ghanekar SA, Sant AJ, Rasley A. “Nanolipoprotein delivery enhances immunostimulatory properties of innate immune agonists and provides protection against lethal influenza challenge”. Biomaterials, 2013, 34:10305

He W, Luo J, Bourguet F, Xing L, Yi SK, Gao T, Blanchette CD, Henderson PT, Kuhn E, Malfatti M, Murphy W, Cheng H, Lam K, Coleman MA. “Controlling the diameter, monodispersity and solubility of apoA1 nanolipoprotein particles using telodendrimer chemistry”. Protein Science, 2013, 22:1078.

Chahine NO, Blanchette CD, Thomas CB, Lu J, Haudenschild D, Loots GG. “Effect of age and cytoskeletal elements on the indentation-dependent mechanical properties of chondrocytes”. PLoS ONE, 2013, 8(4) e1651.

Fischer NO, Rasley A, Corzett M, Hwang M, Hoeprich PD, Blanchette CD. “Colocalized delivery of adjuvant and antigen using nanolipoprotein particles enhances the immune response to recombinant antigens”. Journal of American Chemical Society, Communication, 2013, 135:2044.

Blanchette CD, Lacayo CI, Fischer NO, Hwang M, Thelen MP. “Enhanced Cellulose Degradation Using Cellulase-Nanosphere Complexes”. PLoS ONE, 2012, 7(8): e42116. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0042116.

Gao T, Blanchette CD, He W, Bourguet F, Ly S, Katzen F, Kudlicki WA, Henderson PT, Laurence TA, Huser T and Coleman MA. “Characterizing diffusion dynamics of a membrane protein associated with nanolipoproteins using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy”.  2011 Protein Science, 20:437.

Blanchette CD, Fischer NO, Corzett M, Bench G, and Hoeprich PD. “Kinetic analysis of His-tagged protein binding to nickel-chelating nanolipoprotein particles”. Bioconjugate Chemistry, 2010. 21:1321.

Fischer NO, Infante E, Ishikawa T, Blanchette CD, Bourne N, Hoeprich PD, and Mason PW. “Conjugation to nickel-chelating nanolipoprotein particles increases the potency and efficacy of subunit vaccines to prevent West Nile encephalitis”. Bioconjugate Chemistry, 2010. 21:1018.

Fischer NO, Blanchette CD, Segelke BW, Corzett M, Chromy BA, Kuhn EA, Bench G, and Hoeprich PD. “Isolation, characterization, and stability of discretely-sized nanolipoprotein particles assembled with apolipophorin-III” PLoS ONE, 2010. ,5:e11643.

Longo ML, Blanchette CD “Imaging Cerebroside-rich Domains for Phase and Shape Characterization in Binary and Ternary Mixtures.” Biochemica et Biophysica Acta – Biomembranes, 2009. 1357-67.

Blanchette CD, Woo Y-H, Thomas C, Shen N, Sulchek TA, Hiddessen AL. “Decoupling Internalization, Acidification and Phagosomal-Endosomal/lysosomal Fusion during Phagocytosis of InlA Coated Beads in Epithelial Cells. PLoS ONE. 2009, 4:e6056.

Blanchette CD, Segelke B, Fischer NO, Corzett M, Kuhn EA, Cappucio J, Benner WH, Coleman M, Chromy B, Bench G, Hoeprich PD, Sulchek T. “Characterization and Purification of Polydisperse Reconstituted Lipoproteins and Nanolipoprotein Particles.” International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2009, 10, 2958-2971.

Baker SE, Hopkins RC, Blanchette CD, Walsworth VL, Fischer NO, Kuhn EA,. Chromy B, Létant SE, Hoeprich PD, Adams MWW, and Henderson PT. “Hydrogen Production by Pyrococcus furiosus Membrane-Bound Hydrogenase in Soluble Nanolipoprotein   Particles.” Journal of American Chemical Society Communication, 2009: 131:7508.

Fischer NO, Blanchette CD, Chromy BA, Kuhn EA, Segelke BW, Corzett M, Bench G, Mason PW, Hoeprich PD. “Immobilization of His-tagged proteins on  nickel-   chelating nanolipoprotein particles.”  Bioconjugate Chemistry. 2009, 20:460-465.

Goksu EI, Vanegas JM, Blanchette CD, Lin W-C, Longo ML. “AFM for structure and Dynamics of Biomembranes.” Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 2009, 1788:254- 266.

Blanchette CD, Cappuccio JA, Kuhn EA, Walsworth VL, Segelke BW, Benner WH,  Chromy B, Coleman M, Bench G, Hoeprich PD, Sulchek TA. “Atomic Force Microscopy Differentiates Discrete Size Distributions between Membrane Protein Containing and Empty Nanolipoprotein Particle.” Biochim. Biophys. Acta.- Biomembranes. 2009, 1788:724-731.

Szmodis AW, Blanchette CD, Levchenko AA, Navrotsky A, Longo ML, Orme CA and Parikh AN. “Direct Visualization of Phase Transition Dynamics in Binary Supported Phospholipid Bilayers Using Imaging Ellipsometry". Soft Matter, 2008, 4, 1161 – 1164.

Cappuccio JA, Blanchette CD, Sulchek T, Arroyo ES, Kralj JM, Hinz AK, Kuhn EA, Chromy BA, Rothschild KJ, Fletcher J, Katzen F, Peterson TC, Kudlicki WA, Bench G, Hoeprich PD and Coleman MA. “Cell-free Co-expression of Functional Membrane Proteins Supported in Soluble Nanolipoprotein Particles.” Molecular & Cellular Proteomics. 2008, 7:2246-2253.

Katzen F, Fletcher J, Kang D, Peterson T, Cappuccio JA, Blanchette CD, Sulchek T, Chromy B, Hoeprich PD, Coleman M, and Kudlicki W. “Insertion of membrane proteins into discoidal membranes using a cell-free protein expression approach.” Journal of Proteome Science. 2008, 7(8):3535-42.

Blanchette CD, Law R, Benner WH, Pesavento JB, Cappuccio JA, Walsworth V, Kuhn EA, Corzett M, Chromy BA, Segelke BW, Coleman MA, Bench G, Hoeprich PD, Sulchek TA.  “Quantifying Size Distributions of Nanolipoprotein Particles (NLPs) with single particle analysis and Molecular Dynamic (MD) Simulations.”  Journal of Lipid Research. 2008 49: 1420-1430.

Blanchette, CD, Lin W-C., Orme C, Ratto TV, Longo ML. “Domain Nucleation Rates and Interfacial Line Tensions in Supported Bilayers of Ternary Mixtures Containing Galactosylceramide.”  Biophysical Journal.  2008 94: 2691- 2697.

Chromy BA. Arroyo E, Blanchette CD, Bench G, Benner H, Cappuccio JA, Coleman MA, Henderson PT, Hinz AK, Kuhn EA, Pesavento JB, Segelke BW, Sulchek TA, Tarasow T, Walsworth VL, Hoeprich PD. “Different Apolipoproteins Impact Nanolipoprotein Particle Formation.” J. Am. Chem. Soc.; (Article); 2007; 129(46); 14348-1435.

Blanchette CD, Lin W-C, Orme C, Ratto TV, Longo ML “Using Nucleation Rates to Determine the Interfacial Line Tension of Symmetric and Asymmetric Lipid Bilayer Domains.” Langmuir; (Letter); 2007; 23(11); 5875-5877.

Blanchette, CD, Orme C, Ratto TV, Longo ML.  “Quantifying Growth of Symmetric and Asymmetric Lipid Bilayer Domains.” Langmuir; (Research Article 2008; 24(4); 1219-1224.

Lin W-C, Blanchette CD, Longo ML.  Fluid-Phase Chain Unsaturation Controlling Domain Microstructure and Phase in Ternary Lipid Bilayers Containing GalCer and Cholesterol.”  Biophys. J. 2007 92: 2831-2841.

Blanchette CD, Lin W-C, Ratto TV, Longo ML. “Galactosylceramide Domain Microstructure: Impact of Cholesterol and Nucleation/Growth Conditions.” Biophys. J. 2006 90: 4466-4478.

Lin W-C Blanchette CD, Ratto TV, Longo ML. Lipid Asymmetry in DLPC/DSPC-Supported Lipid Bilayers: A Combined AFM and Fluorescence Microscopy Study.”  Biophys. J. 2006 90: 228-237.

Czuwala PJ, Blanchette CD, Varga S, Root RG, Long,  JH Jr. “A Mechanical Model for the Rapid Body Flexures of Fast–Starting Fish.” (1999).11th Int'l. Symp. Unmanned Untethered Submersible Technology (UUST), 415–426. (January 1999- August 1999).