MRI: Acquisition of A High-sensitivity Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometer for Research and Education at the University of Texas at Dallas

该奖项由主要研究仪器和化学研究仪器项目支持。德克萨斯大学达拉斯分校获得了一台超性能电喷雾电离质谱仪（UP-ESI-MS），以支持郑洁教授及其同事Jeremiah Gassensmith， Xianming Dai, Sheena D'Arcy和秦延平。一般来说，质谱（MS）是用于鉴定和表征复杂样品中少量化学物质的关键分析方法之一。在电喷雾技术中，对液体施加高电压以产生气溶胶。这有助于从大分子中产生离子，避免大分子在电离时分裂的倾向。此次收购加强了大学和地区的研究基础设施。该仪器通过让不同的学生使用这种现代分析技术来扩大参与。它还用于涉及德克萨斯大学阿灵顿分校、北德克萨斯大学的学生和教师的外展活动，以及涉及当地高中生的其他活动。颁发质谱仪的目的是为了加强各级的研究和教育。它特别影响了原子精确金纳米团簇的发现，可以用来揭示亚纳米体系下的纳米生物相互作用，以及表面化学中润湿和粘附的优化。该仪器还用于开发对称芳香构建块的合成和组装方法，以及开发自组装，自修复电子的自下而上蛋白质组学。此外，它有利于非共价过渡金属-蛋白质复合物的研究，以及基于活性的成像和生物硫化蛋白质组学工具的发展。质谱仪还用于开发自下而上和自上而下的蛋白质复合物的氢-氘交换，并设计小有机分子来抑制蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用。ESI谱仪还用于研究芳香族和脂肪族分子的选择性碳氢键功能化方法，并用于表征合成的天然产物衍生物，从而最终改善制造工艺。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This award is supported by the Major Research Instrumentation and the Chemistry Research Instrumentation programs. The University of Texas Dallas is acquiring an ultra-performance, electrospray ionization, mass spectrometer (UP-ESI-MS) to support Professor Jie Zheng and colleagues Jeremiah Gassensmith, Xianming Dai, Sheena D'Arcy and Yanping Qin. In general, mass spectrometry (MS) is one of the key analytical methods used to identify and characterize small quantities of chemical species in complex samples. In the electrospray technique a high voltage is applied to a liquid to create an aerosol. This is useful to produce ions from large molecules by avoiding the propensity of macromolecules to fragment when ionized. The acquisition strengthens the research infrastructure at the university and regional area. The instrument broadens participation by involving diverse students with this modern analytical technique. It is also used in outreach activities involving students and faculty from the University of Texas at Arlington, the University of North Texas, and other activities involving local high-school students.The award of the mass spectrometer is aimed at enhancing research and education at all levels. It especially impacts the discovery of atomically precise gold nanoclusters that can be used to unravel nano-bio interactions in the sub-nanometer regime and the optimization of wetting and adhesion in surface-chemistry. The instrumentation is also used for developing methodology for the synthesis and assembly of symmetric aromatic building blocks and for developing bottom-up proteomics for self-assembling, self-healing electronics. In addition, it benefits studies of non-covalent transition metal-protein complexes and the development of activity-based imaging and proteomic tools for biological sulfurylation. The mass spectrometer is also used to develop bottom-up and top-down hydrogen-deuterium exchange of protein complexes and to design small organic molecules to inhibit protein-protein interactions. The ESI spectrometer is also employed in studies developing methodologies for selective carbon–hydrogen bond functionalization of aromatic and aliphatic molecules and for characterizing synthesized natural product derivatives which could eventually improve manufacturing processes.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.