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项目和化学研究仪器项目支持。得克萨斯大学达拉斯分校正在获取一台超性能电喷雾电离质谱仪(UP-ESI-MS)，以支持郑杰教授及其同事杰里米·加森史密斯、戴先明、希娜·达西和秦燕平。通常，质谱仪是用于鉴定和表征复杂样品中少量化学物种的关键分析方法之一。在电喷雾技术中，高压被施加到液体上以产生气雾剂。这对于从大分子中产生离子是有用的，因为它避免了大分子在电离时发生碎片的倾向。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参与到这一现代分析技术中来扩大参与。它还被用在由德克萨斯大学阿灵顿分校和北得克萨斯大学的学生和教职员工参加的外联活动中，以及其他涉及当地高中生的活动中。质谱仪的获奖旨在加强各级的研究和教育。它尤其影响了原子精确的金纳米团簇的发现，这些纳米团簇可以用来在亚纳米范围内解开纳米生物相互作用，以及表面化学中润湿和附着的优化。该仪器还用于开发合成和组装对称芳香结构块的方法学，以及开发用于自组装、自修复电子设备的自下而上的蛋白质组学。此外，它还有助于非共价过渡金属-蛋白质络合物的研究和基于活性的生物硫化成像和蛋白质组学工具的开发。质谱仪还用于开发自下而上和自上而下的蛋白质络合物的氢-氚交换，并设计出抑制蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用的有机小分子。ESI光谱仪还被用于研究开发芳香族和脂肪族分子的选择性碳氢键功能化的方法，以及表征合成的天然产品衍生物，最终可能会改善制造过程。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势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.