Acquisition of a Scanning Probe Microscope for Studies of Biomolecules and Nanoscale Materials and Devices

这笔拨款支持最先进的扫描探针显微镜（SPM）。扫描探针显微镜技术的最新进展使各种纳米和微尺度材料的直接成像成为可能，包括生物大分子和微生物在其原生溶液环境中。这种适当配置的AFM将允许对蛋白质和DNA分子、微生物（如噬菌体和活细菌）的结构、纳米孔单分子力学、超导和金属颗粒纳米复合材料的形态以及磁畴结构进行成像。原子力显微镜能够测量不同的分子间和分子内相互作用和磁力。使用一个主力SPM平台探索如此广泛的应用将提高所有参与研究者的研究效率，同时为布朗大学的大量本科生和研究生提供必要的扫描探针显微镜研究培训。共享和协调使用多功能设备将为所有参与者节省大量费用。多功能SPM设施的收购将极大地丰富未来十年大量学生研究人员的培训，形成他们在尖端材料科学培训的基石。每年，布朗大学的国家科学基金会资助10-12名研究生和相当数量的本科生进行研究。这些学生中有许多来自代表性不足的群体，包括女性、非洲裔美国人和西班牙裔美国人。此外，pi已经开发了新的生物物理学和生物力学课程，并将SPM纳入其相关的实验室部分。pi计划为当地大学和高中教师提供培训和研究机会，以与更广泛的社区分享尖端设备设施的兴奋。协作使用这一多功能仪器可能会促进解决各种科学问题的新合作，从而促进协同研究活动和新的研究方向。

This grant supports a state-of-the-art scanning probe microscope (SPM). Recent advances in scanning probe microscopy technology make possible the direct imaging of a diverse range of nano- and micro-scale materials, including biological macromolecules and micro-organisms in their native solution environment. This appropriately configured AFM will allow imaging of proteins and DNA molecules, the structure of microorganisms such as phages and live bacteria, nanopore single molecule mechanics, the morphology of nano-composites of superconducting and metallic granules, and magnetic domain structures.. The AFM is capable of force measurements as diverse as inter- and intra- molecular interactions and magnetic forces. Exploring such a broad range of applications using a workhorse SPM platform shall enhance the research productivity of all participant investigators, while in the meantime providing essential research training in scanning probe microscopy to a large number of undergraduate and graduate students at Brown. The shared and coordinated use of the multifunctional equipment will yield significant savings for all participants. The acquisition of a multifunctional SPM facility will greatly enrich the training of a large number of student researchers over the next ten years, forming a cornerstone of their training in cutting edge materials science. Each year, NSF grants at Brown support the research of 10-12 graduate students and a comparable number of undergraduates. Many of these students come to Brown from under-represented groups including women, African Americans and Hispanics. In addition, the PIs have developed new biophysics and biomechanics courses and will incorporate the SPM in their associated laboratory portions. The PIs plan to offer training and research opportunities to local college and high school teachers in an effort to share the excitement of a cutting edge equipment facility with the broader community. The collaborative access to this multifunctional instrument shall likely facilitate new collaborations addressing a rich variety of scientific questions, and thus foster synergistic research activities and new research directions.