Acquisition of a High Performance Digital NMR Spectrometer Console for Studies in the Structure and Dynamics of Self-Assembled Systems.

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CTS-9977269John, Vijay T Project SummaryAcquisition of a High Performance Digital NMR Spectrometer Console for Studies in the Structure and Dynamics of Self-Assembled SystemsOver the past couple of decades, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy has evolved to become an exquisite technique to probe chemical structure and function. With the advent of multinuclear and multidimensional pulse NMR, and pulsed gradient spinecho NMR, techniques now exist to probe the structure and dynamics of complex systems including synthetic polymers, surfactant aggregates, etc. Applications of the technique span the areas of the physical, life, and engineering sciences. This request is to enhance the NMR capabilities at Tulane to allow us to use these advanced techniques to solve specific research problems, and to integrate our research with education. Tulane University will acquire a high performance digital NMR spectrometer console. The console will be coupled to an existing high field magnet (500MHz) to constitute an advanced NMR facility at the university. A primary objective of instrument acquisition is the development of a core competence at Tulane, in the use of advanced NMR spectroscopy to solve problems related to self-assembly in specific biomacromolecular and amphiphilic systems. The proposal is written by five investigators with interests in (a) self-assembly of surfactant microstructures for materials synthesis (b) transport and stability in double emulsions (c) membrane penetration of genetic drugs (d) protein folding and conformational dynamics (e) polymer chain dynamics. The investigators will work together to develop an interdisciplinary core competence in advanced NMR spectroscopy. The spectrometer will be maintained and operated by a Coordinated Instrumentation Facility (CIF) at Tulane. This is a university-wide, centralized facility that operated the major instrumentation on campus. One of the core functions of the CIF is to provide training to students who wish to use specific instruments. The principal investigators are committed to integrate their research with education. In collaboration with the CIF, the new instrumentation will be made accessible to all researchers and students in the region interested in the use of NMR.