Patterning Interfaces with High Molecular Weight Periodically Sequenced Sheet-Forming Polypeptides

ID: MPS/DMR/BMAT(7623) 1006407 PI: Tu， Raymond ORG: CUNY City college标题：具有高分子量周期性测序的片状形成多肽的图图化界面知识优势：所提出的工作的目标是创建具有高分子量和低多分散的周期性测序多肽，用于在界面上自组织纳米结构的图图化。在PI的小组之前的努力中，用低分子量周期性测序的肽模板界面已经产生了表面受限的自组织纤维模式，但是这些模式具有低长宽比和高缺陷频率。本文提出利用缩合反应促进高分子量周期性测序多肽（PSP）的合成。通常，缩聚过程的多分散性是由重组的统计量决定的，从而导致广泛的分布。提出的制造这些具有高分子量和窄多分散性的多肽的方法是基于控制多相运输限制反应中生长的β链的缩合动力学。窄分布伪活缩合聚合物的合成机理是三个关键现象的结果：协同折叠、Langmuir吸附动力学和随分子量降低的有效反应速率。为了表征反应产物，PI将应用组合梯度多角度光散射、核磁共振和LC-MS。为了在分子长度尺度上表征组装，将应用Langmuir-Blodgett技术，圆二色性和衰减全反射- ftir。布鲁斯特角显微镜、成像椭偏显微镜和荧光显微镜将用于表征组装在超分子长度尺度。更广泛的影响：该提案可能导致新的，更便宜的方法来生产控制序列和链长的多肽。它将支持两名研究生和几名本科生的工作。事实上，该提案所依据的所有初步实验都是由两位本科生进行的。本科生将继续通过三种不同的机制参与。首先，PI参与了两个NSF资助的本科教育项目(1)NSF- nue （CCNY工程与科学专业纳米材料教育）（NSF EEC 0634223）和(2)纽约大学-CCNY， REU软材料与界面科学与工程（NSF DMR 0648788）。NUE的目的是加强纳米技术和纳米材料教育的本科生在中央纽约大学。REU与纽约大学合作，跨学科的重点是软材料和界面。这些拓展项目将使那些通常在科学和工程领域没有机会的学生接触到学术研究。其次，PI希望通过直接参与他的实验室，为CCNY高度多样化的学生群体（36%的西班牙裔，30%的黑人，23%的亚裔和11%的白人）提供高质量的本科培训。在PI实验室工作的20名学生中，有11名是女性，包括两名西班牙裔女性和两名非裔美国女性。PI致力于发展多样化的实验室环境，这与CCNY的使命是一致的。第三，PI正在从研究生阶段到高中阶段全面整合研究和教育。为此，PI正在与纽约哈莱姆的数学、科学和工程高中（HSMSE）领导一个同行学习计划。该项目有两个目标：第一，激发和招募来自不同社区的学生进入STEM领域，第二，让更多的工程专业学生参与教学。该项目通过为CCNY的本科生提供在HSMSE教授化学工程的机会来传播知识。同学之间的互动营造了一个积极的学习环境，通过分享日常经验来促进对科学和工程的兴趣。这种共同点的概念尤其重要，因为HSMSE的多样化人口目前反映了CCNY的构成。

ID: MPS/DMR/BMAT(7623) 1006407 PI: Tu, Raymond ORG: CUNY City CollegeTitle: Patterning Interfaces with High Molecular Weight Periodically Sequenced Sheet-Forming PolypeptidesINTELLECTUAL MERIT: The goal of the proposed work is to create a periodically sequenced polypeptide with a high molecular weight and a low polydispersity for patterning self-organized nanostructures confined at interfaces. Previous efforts in the PI's group to template interfaces with low molecular weight periodically sequenced peptides have yielded surface confined self-organized fibrillar patterns, but these patterns have a low aspect ratio and a high defect frequency. It is proposed here to use a condensation reaction to promote a high molecular weight periodically sequenced polypeptide (PSP). Typically, the polydispersity of the condensation polymerization process is determined by the statistics of recombination, leading to a broad distribution. The approach proposed for making these polypeptides with a high molecular weight and a narrow polydispersity is based on controlling the condensation kinetics of a growing beta-strand in a multiphase transport-limited reaction. The mechanism to synthesize a pseudo-living condensation polymer with narrow distribution is an outcome of three key phenomena: cooperative folding, Langmuir adsorption kinetics, and effective reaction rates that decrease as a function of molecular weight. To characterize the reaction products the PI will apply a combination of composition gradient-multi-angle light scattering, NMR, and LC-MS. To characterize assembly at the molecular length scale, Langmuir-Blodgett techniques, circular dichroism, and attenuated total reflectance-FTIR will be applied. Brewster angle microscopy, imaging ellipsometry, and fluorescent microscopy will be used to characterize assembly at the supramolecular length scale.BROADER IMPACTS: The proposal may lead to new, less expensive methodology for producing polypeptides of controlled sequence and chain length. It will support the work two graduate students and several undergraduate students. In fact, two undergraduate students conducted all the preliminary experiments upon which the proposal is built. Undergraduates will continue to participate through three distinct mechanisms. First, the PI participates in two NSF sponsored undergraduate education programs (1) NSF-NUE (Nanomaterials Education for Engineering and Science Majors at CCNY) (NSF EEC 0634223) and (2) NYU-CCNY, REU for the Science and Engineering of Soft Materials and Interfaces (NSF DMR 0648788). The NUE is designed to enhance nanotechnology and nanomaterials education for undergraduate students at CCNY. The REU is in collaboration with NYU, and the interdisciplinary focus is soft materials and interfaces. These outreach programs will expose students, who typically don't have opportunities in science and engineering, to academic research. Second, the PI aspires to provide quality undergraduate training to a highly diverse student body at CCNY (36% Hispanic, 30% black, 23% Asian and 11% white) through direct participation in his laboratory. Among the twenty students who have worked in the PI's lab eleven are women, including two Hispanic women and two African American women. The PI is dedicated to the development of a diverse laboratory environment, which is in accord with the CCNY mission. Third, the PI is integrating research and education in a comprehensive fashion from the graduate to the high school level. To this end, the PI is leading a Peer-Learning Program with the High School of Math, Science and Engineering (HSMSE) in Harlem, NY. The program has two goals: first, to excite and recruit students from a diverse community into STEM fields and, second, to engage more engineering students in teaching. The program propagates knowledge by giving undergraduate students at CCNY an opportunity to teach chemical engineering at HSMSE. Peer interactions foster a positive learning environment where interest in science and engineering is promoted through shared everyday experience. This notion of common ground is particularly important because the diverse population at HSMSE currently mirrors the makeup at CCNY.