Gel-Free DNA Separations in Micro/Nanocapillaries: Modeling and Applications

在化学测量和成像计划的支持下，俄克拉荷马大学的刘少荣教授和他的团队正在寻求更好的理解如何使用窄口径毛细管来有效分离DNA片段(从75到106,000个碱基对)和蛋白质，其效率与毛细管区带电泳法相当。这项工作需要进行系统的调查，以阐明分离机制及其相对贡献。使用窄毛细管的分离技术的发展将扩大分离科学的范围--对生物、生物技术、化学、制药、环境、地球化学和农业学科的研究至关重要。这项研究本质上是跨学科的，需要新的学生培训模式和新的课程，包括理论、计算、纳米流体和分离等方面。纳米科学和技术方面的大量教育和招聘活动特别针对在科学和工程领域任职人数不足的群体，包括通过一个主要由本科院校组成的区域网络进行招聘，其中许多院校人口众多，人才不足。结果将被纳入普通公众和高中水平的纳米科学研讨会系列，该系列研讨会由国际和平研究所与诺曼图书馆的活动家共同开发。

With support from the Chemical Measurement and Imaging Program, Prof. Shaorong Liu and his group at the University of Oklahoma are seeking better understanding of how a narrow bore capillary can be used to effectively separate DNA fragments (from 75 to 106,000 base pairs) and proteins with efficiencies comparable to those achieved with capillary zone electrophoresis. The work entails systematic investigation to elucidate the separation mechanisms and their relative contributions. Development of separation techniques using narrow capillaries will extend the limits of separation science - critical to research in biological, biotechnological, chemical, pharmaceutical, environmental, geochemical, and agricultural disciplines. The inherently interdisciplinary nature of this research requires new modes of student training and new curricula incorporating aspects of theory, computation, nanofluidics, and separations. Substantial education and recruitment activities in nanoscience and technology are particularly aimed at groups underrepresented in science and engineering, including recruitment through a regional network of primarily undergraduate institutions, many of which have large populations strong in underrepresented talent. Results will be incorporated into general-public and high-school level nanoscience seminar series being developed by the PI in conjunction with activists at the Norman library.