International Postdoctoral Fellows Program: Physics of DNA and Proteins

该奖项隶属于国际博士后研究员计划，该计划使美国科学家和工程师能够在国外公认的卓越中心进行三到十二个月的研究。该计划的奖励为联合研究提供了机会，并利用独特或互补的设施、专业知识和国外的实验条件。该奖项将支持亚当·西蒙博士与大卫·本西蒙博士在法国巴黎高等师范学院进行为期12个月的博士后研究访问。他们提出的研究项目涉及DNA和蛋白质的物理学。它由两部分组成。第一个计划是利用基于激光镊子的实验准确表征DNA的物理性质，包括弹性和扭转强度，并研究DNA复制和聚合的物理和动力学；包括相关运动蛋白的活性。对于第二部分，他们打算使用原子力显微镜上的增强磁反馈非接触式尖端，对运动蛋白对（如肌动蛋白-肌球蛋白）进行精确的皮牛顿力测量。例如，可以通过在尖端涂上低密度的肌凝蛋白分子并测量肌动蛋白丝的相互作用力来精确测量相互作用力。他们希望揭示单分子相互作用的细节，从而了解基本力的产生。奖励建议提供国际旅行经费、12个月的津贴和国内旅行的小额旅行津贴。

This award is under the International Postdoctoral Fellows Program, which enables U.S. scientists and engineers to conduct three to twelve months of research at foreign centers of proven excellence. The program's awards provide opportunities for joint research, and the use of unique or complementary facilities, expertise and experimental conditions abroad. This award will support a twelve-month postdoctoral research visit by Dr. Adam Simon to work with Dr. David Bensimon at Ecole Normale Superieure, CNRS in Paris, France. Their proposed research program concerns the physics of DNA and proteins. It consists of two general parts. The first one is a plan to accurately characterize the physical properties of DNA, including the elasticity and torsional strength using laser tweezer based experiments, and to study the physics and dynamics of DNA replication and polymerization, including the activity of the associated motor proteins involved. For the second part, they intend to make precise picoNewton force measurements of motor protein pairs, like actin-myosin, using an enhanced magnetic feedback non-contact tip on an Atomic Force Microscope. Precise interaction force measurements can be made by coating the tip, for example, with a low density of myosin molecules and measuring the interaction force with an actin filament. They expect to reveal details of the single molecule interaction, allowing understanding of the elementary force generator. The award recommendation provides funds to cover international travel, a stipend for twelve months and a small travel allowance for in-country travel.