Acquisition of a MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer

利用化学研究仪器和设施(CRIF)计划授予的这一奖项，伦斯勒理工学院化学系将获得一台MALDI-TOF质谱仪。该设备将加强一些领域的研究，包括a)使用新的聚合工艺合成聚合物；b)从新设计合成的水溶性和膜可溶蛋白质；c)利用光致聚合和电子束引发的聚合制备聚合物；d)生命起源和从益生菌分子形成RNA的研究；以及e)蛋白质表面的研究。质谱仪(MS)是一种用于探测大量有机、生物有机和有机金属分子的内部结构细节和获得其分子组成的技术。这些研究的结果将对材料化学、聚合物加工和生物学等多个领域产生影响。

With this award from the Chemistry Research Instrumentation and Facilities (CRIF) Program, the Department of Chemistry at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute will acquire a MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometer. This equipment will enhance research in a number of areas including a) polymer synthesis using novel polymerization processes; b) de novo design of synthetic water-soluble and membrane-soluble proteins; c) preparation of polymers using photo- and electron beam initiated polymerizations; d) studies on the origin of life and formation of RNA from prebiotic molecules; and e) protein surface studies. Mass spectrometry (MS) is a technique used to probe intimate structural details and to obtain the molecular compositions of a vast array of organic, bioorganic, and organometallic molecules. The results from these studies will have an impact in a number of areas including materials chemistry, polymer processing and biology.