MRI: Acquisition of LUMICKS C-Trap Ultra-High-Resolution Optical Tweezer System

MRI：购买 LUMICKS C-Trap 超高分辨率光镊系统

• 批准号: 2117380
• 负责人: Sibani Biswal
• 金额: $ 104.3万
• 依托单位: William Marsh Rice University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2021-09-01 至 2024-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2117380&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: MRI; Acquisition; LUMICKS; Trap; Ultra

Optical tweezers use light to non-invasively manipulate tiny objects (typically smaller than can be seen with the naked eye) including cells, nanoparticles, and individual molecules. The ability to hold, move, and stretch microscale objects with nanometer precision while simultaneously measuring fluorescence signals enables new scientific discoveries in biology, chemistry, and engineering. The Lumicks C-Trap system is state-of-the art optical tweezer system will support advanced experiments by a variety of researchers including single-molecule manipulation, mechanical properties of proteins and lipid membranes, and the study of forces governing colloidal and polymer assemblies. The knowledge obtained from optical tweezer studies have the potential to impact applications of national interest, ranging from new therapeutics and clinical treatments for various diseases to advanced materials for energy and sustainability needs. Widescale adoption of optical tweezers has been limited due to the difficulty in constructing and maintaining a robust optical tweezer system that can correctly measure nanoscale forces. The objective of this MRI proposal is to acquire a Lumicks C-Trap to add optical tweezer capabilities to the shared research instrumentation facility at Rice University. The Lumicks C-Trap is a user-friendly optical tweezer instrument that combines wide-field and total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy to provide state-of-the-art imaging with simultaneous single-molecule manipulation. Additionally, the Lumicks C-Trap incorporates a novel microfluidic accessory that streamlines workflow and enables experiments to be performed under laminar flow in a temperature-controlled environment. Proposed experiments include tracking cellular processes, measuring protein and polymer surface interactions, probing the mechanical properties of biological membranes, and designing novel colloidal molecules. With the Lumicks C-Trap system, researchers and students will be trained to make sensitive force measurements, probe single-molecules, and manipulate materials with nanoscale precision. Acquisition of the C-Trap will advance the growing field of soft condensed matter and biophysical research at Rice University and lead to collaborative research with institutions in the greater Houston region, including the Texas Medical Center.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.

光镊使用光来非侵入性地操纵微小物体（通常小于肉眼可见的），包括细胞，纳米颗粒和单个分子。能够以纳米精度保持、移动和拉伸微尺度物体，同时测量荧光信号，这使得生物学、化学和工程学领域的新科学发现成为可能。Lumicks C-Trap系统是最先进的光镊系统，将支持各种研究人员的先进实验，包括单分子操作，蛋白质和脂质膜的机械特性，以及控制胶体和聚合物组装的力的研究。从光镊研究中获得的知识有可能影响国家利益的应用，从各种疾病的新疗法和临床治疗到满足能源和可持续发展需求的先进材料。 由于难以构建和维护能够正确测量纳米级力的鲁棒光学镊子系统，因此光学镊子的广泛采用受到限制。该MRI提案的目的是获得Lumicks C-Trap，以增加莱斯大学共享研究仪器设施的光镊功能。 Lumicks C-Trap是一款用户友好的光镊仪器，结合了宽视场和全内反射荧光显微镜，可提供最先进的成像和同时进行单分子操作。此外，Lumicks C-Trap还集成了一种新型的微流体配件，简化了工作流程，并使实验能够在温度受控的环境中在层流下进行。拟议的实验包括跟踪细胞过程，测量蛋白质和聚合物表面的相互作用，探测生物膜的机械性能，并设计新的胶体分子。借助Lumicks C-Trap系统，研究人员和学生将接受培训，以进行灵敏的力测量，探测单分子，并以纳米级精度操纵材料。 获得C-Trap将推动赖斯大学软凝聚态和生物物理研究领域的发展，并促进与大休斯顿地区机构的合作研究，包括德克萨斯医学中心。该奖项反映了NSF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。