CRIF:ID- Development of Instrumentation for Single Molecule Trapping and Spectroscopy for Chemistry Research

CRIF-ID计划授予Jorg C. Woehl在威斯康星大学密尔沃基分校的化学系将资助开发和构建一种用于单分子研究的新型工具，该工具结合了以下功能：（1）单个荧光分子或其他光学活性纳米颗粒的光学成像和光谱学，以及（2）在纳米尺度上对其进行控制操作（捕获和定位）。所提出的新的捕获方案的基本思想是创建一个圆形的势能阱（静电畜栏）捕获带电分子，如膜蛋白或其他横向限制的分子，通过施加电势的近场扫描光学显微镜的光学孔径尖端的金属层。在项目时间范围内，PI的研究小组将建立，测试和表征一个光学孔径陷阱，以及所需的单粒子捕获软件。单分子光谱技术已经导致了对许多物理，化学和生物过程的新理解，因为它们允许观察单个事件，免于系综平均，从而获得分子特性的全部统计异质性。表现出截然不同的生物活性。该仪器将推进物理、化学和生物过程中粒子研究的单分子捕获领域。这项工作将由研究生进行，他们将在设计和建造复杂的科学仪器方面获得宝贵的培训。

This award from the CRIF-ID program to Jorg C. Woehl in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee will fund the development and construction of a novel tool for single molecule research which combines capabilities (1) for the optical imaging and spectroscopy of individual fluorescent molecules or other optically active nanoparticles, and (2) for their controlled manipulation (trapping and positioning) at the nanoscale. The basic idea of the proposed novel trapping scheme is to create a circular potential energy well (an electrostatic corral) to capture charged molecules, such as membrane proteins or other laterally confined molecules, by applying an electric potential to the metal layer of the optical aperture tip of a near field scanning optical microscope. During the project timeframe, the PI's research group will build, test, and characterize an optical aperture trap, and required software for single particle trapping. Single molecule spectroscopy techniques have lead to a new understanding of many physical, chemical, and biological processes since they allow the observation of individual events, free from ensemble averaging, thus giving access to the full statistical heterogeneity of molecular properties This knowledge is important as it provides the basis for analyzing and explaining why two molecules of the same species can, for example, exhibit quite different biological activities. This instrumentation will advance the field of single molecule trapping for the study of particles in physical, chemical and biological processes. The work will be conducted by graduate students who will obtain valuable training in the design and construction of sophisticated scientific instrumentation.