Isothermal Titration Calorimeter for Bio/Nano-Materials Research and Education

用于生物/纳米材料研究和教育的等温滴定量热仪

• 批准号: 1134371
• 负责人: Marina Tsianou
• 金额: $ 9.9万
• 依托单位: SUNY at Buffalo
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-09-01 至 2015-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1134371&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Isothermal; Titration; Calorimeter; Bio; Nano

1134371TsianouThe objective of this small equipment proposal is to acquire a high-sensitivity Isothermal Titration Calorimeter (ITC) for the study of interactions and physical transformations in systems containing biomolecules, macromolecules, and/or nanomaterials. This equipment will significantly enhance current research capabilities for the PIs and initiate new research projects. ITC can provide fundamental, thermodynamic information on a minority component or on weak enthalpic transitions, using only small sample volumes. Calorimetry can, thus, offer valuable insights in complex, multicomponent and nanostructured systems. No ITC instrument is currently available at the SUNY-Buffalo North (Amherst) campus where all the Engineering and Natural Sciences research laboratories are located, and all undergraduate instruction takes place. The proposed ITC will thus present a new and unique addition to the PIs research and education capabilities. Intellectual Merit: Nanostructured products and devices containing synthetic or biological macromolecules and/or nanoparticles contribute significantly to the quality of life and economic growth. The elucidation of intermolecular interactions in complex, bio/macromolecular systems provides the fundamental underpinning of research advances that support such technological progress. The proposed instrumentation will support high quality scientific research. In particular, this sensitive calorimeter will greatly enhance our current and future research efforts on thermodynamic characterization of: (a) biomolecules in solution, with an emphasis on understanding and optimizing protein-ligand binding; (b) self-assembled systems, with projects ranging from interaction of bioactive molecules with lipidic nanoparticles to structuring in ionic liquid media; and (c) nanomaterials, with specific interests on polyelectrolyte multilayers used in the assembly of functional films, and interactions and phenomena leading to cellulose dissolution. The investigators work in different research areas, but all share common interests in elucidating molecular interactions in the nanoscale and using this knowledge to tackle fundamental research questions. It is important to note that in complex, multi-component and nanostructured systems, calorimetry provides valuable insights supported by quantitative data not attainable by any other technique. At the same time, the proposed calorimeter would prove a powerful complement to the advanced structural characterization techniques currently available on campus. Broader Impacts: The broader impacts of the proposed work will be of two types: (a) societal impacts and improvements in quality of life due to long-term implementation of the science and technology developed in commercial applications; and (b) education and outreach impacts. In education and outreach, the proposed instrument is expected to be used by several Ph.D. students and PostDocs in their research, as well as undergraduate researchers, thereby contributing to the education and research training of a significant number of users. The instrument will also be used in formal science and engineering courses, and will thereby contribute to conventional education. Faculty involved in this proposal will continue their outreach efforts to underrepresented minority students at the high-school, undergraduate, and graduate levels. Finally, this instrument will aid in outreach to local industry by making it availableto local industry and by fostering the intellectual connections that naturally arise when these industrial researchers interact with the engineering staff on possible joint research projects.

1134371Tsianouthe这个小型设备建议的目标是获得高敏性等温滴定热量计（ITC），以研究含有生物分子，大分子和/或纳米材料的系统的相互作用和物理变换。该设备将显着增强PI的当前研究能力，并启动新的研究项目。 ITC仅使用少量样品体积提供有关少数群体或弱化过渡的基本热力学信息。因此，量热法可以在复杂，多组件和纳米结构系统中提供有价值的见解。 目前在Suny-Buffalo North（Amherst）校园内没有ITC仪器，所有工程和自然科学研究实验室所在，所有本科教学都进行。因此，提出的ITC将为PIS研究和教育能力提供新的独特成员。智力优点：纳米结构化产品和设备，其中包含合成或生物学大分子和/或纳米颗粒的纳米结构化产品和设备对生活质量和经济增长产生了重大贡献。复杂，生物/大分子系统中分子间相互作用的阐明提供了支持这种技术进步的研究进步的基本基础。拟议的仪器将支持高质量的科学研究。特别是，这种敏感的量热仪将大大增强我们在以下方面的热力学表征的当前和未来研究工作：（a）溶液中的生物分子，重点是理解和优化蛋白质配体结合； （b）自组装系统，其项目范围从生物活性分子与脂质纳米颗粒的相互作用到在离子液体培养基中的结构； （c）纳米材料，对功能膜组装中使用的多电解质多层的特定兴趣，以及导致纤维素溶解的相互作用和现象。研究人员在不同的研究领域工作，但所有人都在阐明纳米级分子相互作用并利用这些知识来解决基本研究问题方面具有共同的兴趣。重要的是要注意，在复杂的多组分和纳米结构系统中，量热法提供了有价值的见解，这些见解由任何其他技术无法获得的定量数据支持。同时，拟议的量热计将证明对当前校园目前可用的先进结构特征技术有强大的补充。更广泛的影响：拟议工作的更广泛影响将有两种类型：（a）由于长期实施商业应用中开发的科学和技术而导致的社会影响和改善生活质量； （b）教育和外展影响。在教育和宣传中，预计该工具将由多个博士学位使用。学生和博士后的研究以及本科研究人员，从而为大量用户的教育和研究培训做出了贡献。该工具还将用于正规的科学和工程课程，从而为传统教育做出贡献。参与该提案的教师将继续他们在高中，本科和研究生级别的少数族裔学生的宣传工作。最后，该工具将通过使其可用的本地行业以及在这些工业研究人员与工程人员在可能的联合研究项目上与工程人员互动时自然产生的智力联系，从而有助于向当地工业推广。