CAREER: Design and Synthesis of Artificial Light-Gated Transmembrane Ion Channels

伊利诺伊大学厄巴纳-香槟分校化学系的先进材料计划将这一职业奖项授予伊利诺伊大学厄巴纳-香槟分校，以研究控制跨膜电流的光门合成离子通道。获得这一奖项后，Mary Gin教授将在区域特异性修改后合成基于环糊精的通道支架。带有pH敏感染料的修饰后的环糊精将被包埋在直径约25 nm的均一脂泡中。这些脂泡的离子转运活性将通过测量染料中荧光强度的变化来确定。计划中的研究预计将导致传感器的开发；时间释放的药物和改进的水净化系统。该奖项的教育部分是帮助学生学习基础有机化学课程，并为研究生和本科生提供有机合成和生物衍生材料改性的实践经验。光激活的合成离子通道将由区域特异性修饰的环糊精制备，并嵌入直径均匀的均一脂泡中。这些修饰的环糊精中的pH敏感染料的荧光强度的变化将被用来测量这些合成离子通道的离子传输活性。传感器、缓释药物和改进的净水系统将是这些研究的一些潜在应用。此外，这项职业奖将增加对基础有机化学课程学生的帮助，并为他们提供有机合成和生物衍生材料的化学修饰的研究机会。

The Advanced Materials Program in the Division of Chemistry makes this Career award to University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to study light-gated synthetic ion channels to control transmembrane currents. With this award, Professor Mary Gin will synthesize cyclodextrin-based channel scaffolds after regiospecific modifications. Modified cyclodextrins with a trapped pH sensitive dye will be embedded in homogenous lipid vesicles of approximately 25nm diameter. Ion transport activities of these lipid vesicles will be determined by measuring the fluorescence intensity changes in the dye. The planned studies are expected to result in the development of sensors; time released drugs and improved water purification systems. The educational component of the award is to assist students in Elementary Organic Chemistry courses, and to provide graduate and undergraduate students with hand-on experience in organic synthesis and modification of bioderived materials. Light-activated synthetic ion channels will be prepared from regiospecific-modified cyclodextrins and embedded in homogenous lipid vesicles with uniform diameter. Changes in fluorescence intensity of a pH sensitive dye trapped in these modified cyclodextrins will be utilized to measure ion transport activities of these synthetic ion channels. Sensors, time released drugs and improved water purification systems would be some of the potential applications coming out of these studies. In addition, this Career award will increase assistance to students in Elementary Organic Chemistry courses, and will provide them with research opportunities in organic synthesis and chemical modifications of bioderived materials.