MRI: Development of a 4D micro/nano-scale defocused particle tracking (DPT) imaging technique and its applications in nanobiotechnology

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Proposal No. CTS-0619626Principal Investigator: Abraham D. Stroock, Cornell UniversityMRI: Development of a 4-dimensional micro/nano-scale defocused particle tracking (DPT) imaging technique and its applications in nanobiotechnology This Major Research Instrumentation grant is to develop an imaging technology for tracking multiple micro/nano scale particles with sub-micrometer spatial and millisecond temporal resolution via a quantitative use of defocused images taken with an epifluorescence microscope. This new technology is referred to as a 4-dimensional micro/nano defocused particle tracking (4D DPT) technique. The main contribution of the 4D DPT technique to the current state-of-art technology is its capability to probe Lagrangian information of particles at micro and nano scales, which is essential for the development of micro/nano fluidic devices, bioMEMS device, as well as the understanding of inter and intra cellular dynamics in biology. The 4D micro/nano DPT technique represents an important innovation in flow visualization at micro/nano meter scales. The intellectual merit of the proposed project resides in its ability to unravel dynamic behavior both in micro/nano fluidic and biofluidic systems at unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution. When coupled with recent advances in biophotonics, particularly genetically encoded fluorescent reagents, 4D micro/nano DPT technique will enable an ability to visualize single molecular events in living cells. Such capability will, in turn, play a unique role in the recent quest of correlating gene network dynamics with cell's phenotype in biology. In terms of broader impact, the 4D DPT will serve as a shared facility within the Cornell Nanobiotechnology Center (NBTC - NSF STC), it will provide a natural setting for collaboration among its users across many research disciplines. As such, it will impact a broad scientific community. In addition, the 4D DPT technology will be made available to industry through the NBTC's industrial partnership program, and through PIs' collaboration with local industries. The 4D imaging system provides us with a unique opportunity to reach out to the public due to the visual nature of the experimental results. The results of the 4D DPT imaging system will be made into an exhibition entitled `Brownian motion' at the Ithaca Science Center, where visitors can see movie clips of dilute nano and micro particles, as well as swimming bacteria. The PIs will develop an interactive website both for the K-12 community and the research community. For the greater research community, the PIs will establish and maintain an up-to-date website of research results and imaging software.