Droplet-interface bilayers (DIBs) have been developed as a miniature model membrane system with distinct advantages over cell-based and other artificial membrane systems. This dissertation will describe a number of projects relating to DIB research, including: (i) the creation of new devices that allow the repeated addition and mixing of reagents to one side of a droplet-based membrane system; (ii) measurements of peptide and polymer mediated protein translocation across lipid bilayers; (iii) efforts to synthesize eukaryotic ion channels in DIBs; (iv) investigations on the asymmetric lipid dependence of the potassium channel KirBac1.1.