MRI: Development of an Instrument for Quantitative Characterization of Behavior of Magnetic Particles and Magnetically-Labeled Biomaterials in Emerging Applications

1337860 SwihartThe PI将开发一种集成的多功能独立仪器，该仪器具有独特的成像，跟踪和表征磁性颗粒（MP）和磁性标记生物材料（MLB）的耦合磁性，热，传输，光子和生物功能特性和行为的能力，适用于广泛的原位应用。目标是将最先进的技术集成到一个平台中，这些技术结合了联合收割机：（i）跟踪和表征直径小至20 nm的未标记MP的动态的能力，（ii）高时间分辨率（高达500，000 fps），以及（iii）高光谱成像（400- 900 nm范围内的~2 nm波长分辨率，逐像素）和高光学分辨率。他们将共同开发和整合定制设计的磁场源，以产生规定的3D磁场（用于场定向操作）和RF源（用于加热），并结合定制设计的磁功能微流体流动池，该流动池将产生可控的流场，并在成像过程中实现样品操作。定制的用户友好的计算磁流体软件将被集成为仪器的一部分，使基本的理解和促进实验结果的解释。一个具有互补专业知识的高度跨学科的研究人员团队将领导这项工作。所提出的仪器的开发将促进对MP和MLB的物理性质和行为以及在良好表征和可调节的流场下以及在3D静态和低频和/或RF磁场的存在下原位的这种颗粒的相互作用群体的动力学的基本理解。此外，该仪器具有集成的独特的最先进的功能，结合了高分辨率纳米颗粒跟踪和表征，高光谱显微镜，热成像和高帧速率成像，代表了对光学工程，纳米颗粒表征和生物成像领域的重大贡献，这将使研究人员能够阐明使用MP/MLB的领域中的基本现象。

1337860SwihartThe PIs will develop an integrated multifunctional stand-alone instrument with unique capabilities for imaging, tracking, and characterizing coupled magnetic, thermal, transport, photonic and biofunctional properties and behavior of magnetic particles (MPs) and magnetically labeled biomaterials (MLBs), in situ, for a broad range of applications. The objectives are to integrate into one platform, state-of-the-art techniques that combine (i) the ability to track and characterize the dynamics of unlabeled MPs as small as 20 nm in diameter, (ii) high temporal resolution (up to 500,000 fps), and (iii) hyperspectral imaging (~2 nm wavelength resolution in the 400-900nm range, pixel-by-pixel) with high optical resolution. They will co-develop and incorporate custom-designed magnetic field sources to produce prescribed 3D magnetic fields (for field-directed manipulation) and an RF source (for heating), combined with custom-designed magnetically-functional microfluidic flow cells that will produce controllable flow fields and enable sample manipulation during imaging. Custom user-friendly computational magneto-fluidics software will be integrated as part of the instrument to enable fundamental understanding and facilitate interpretation of experimental results. A highly interdisciplinary team of researchers with complimentary expertise will lead this effort. Development of the proposed instrument will advance fundamental understanding of physical properties and behavior of MPs and MLBs and the dynamics of interacting populations of such particles, in situ, under well-characterized and adjustable flow fields and in the presence of 3D static and low frequency and/or RF magnetic fields. Moreover, the instrument, with its integrated unique state-of-the-art capabilities, combining high resolution nanoparticle tracking and characterization, hyperspectral microscopy, thermal imaging and high frame rate imaging, represents a significant contribution to the fields of optical engineering, nanoparticle characterization, and bioimaging that will enable researchers to elucidate fundamental phenomena in fields that employ MPs/MLBs.