Nanostructured Lipid‐Based Films for Substrate‐Mediated Applications in Biotechnology

Amphiphilic in nature, lipids spontaneously self‐assemble into a range of nanostructures in the presence of water. Among lipid self‐assembled structures, liposomes and supported lipid bilayers have long held scientific interest for their main applications in drug delivery and plasma membrane models, respectively. In contrast, lipid‐based multilayered membranes on solid supports only recently begin drawing scientists' attention. Current studies show that the stacking of multiple bilayers on a solid support yields cooperative structural and dynamic behavior that enables new functionalities. Lipid films provide compartmentalization, templating, and enhanced release of molecules of interest. Importantly, supported lipid phases exhibit long‐range periodic nanoscale order and orientation that is tunable in response to a changing environment. Herein, the current understanding of lipid‐based film research is summarized focusing on how unique structural characteristics enable the emergence of new applications including label‐free biosensors, macroscale drug delivery, and substrate‐mediated gene delivery. The authors' recent contributions focusing on the structural characterization of lipid‐based films using small‐angle X‐ray scattering and atomic force microscopy are highlighted. In addition, new photothermally induced resonance and solid‐state nuclear magnetic resonance data are described, providing insights into drug partition in lipid‐based films as well as structure and dynamics at the molecular scale.