LEAPS-MPS: Rational design of macromolecular assemblies controlled via plasmonic activation

LEAPS-MPS：通过等离子体激活控制的大分子组装体的合理设计

• 批准号: 2213408
• 负责人: Julianne Griepenburg
• 金额: $ 25万
• 依托单位: Rutgers University Camden
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2022-09-01 至 2024-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2213408&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: LEAPS; MPS; Rational; design; macromolecular

This award is funded in whole or in part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2). LEAPS-MPS: Rational design of macromolecular assemblies controlled via plasmonic activationPART 1: NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARYIn nature, light controls a large number of physical and biological processes. In synthetic systems, using light as a trigger to initiate processes is beneficial because it is often biocompatible, and can be well controlled in both time and space, especially through the use of ultrafast lasers. This proposal seeks to use light to trigger structural changes in macromolecules, such as in DNA assemblies and molecular storage compartments known as vesicles. Vesicles are of interest because they provide the ability to compartmentalize contents, preventing interaction with the surrounding environment; light-induced structural disruption could allow for their contents to be released on-demand. In order for this to happen, light must be converted into heat or mechanical energy which can disrupt surrounding structures. This can be achieved with the unique light-sensitive properties of small gold particles known as nanoparticles, sometimes only consisting of a few hundred atoms. DNA assemblies can assist in this process by providing a scaffold for nanoparticle placement. The thorough investigation of these interactions has the potential to be transformative for applications in biotechnology and nanotechnology, for example, drug-delivery, allowing for therapeutics to be released in a specific location within the body to reduce side effects in healthy tissues or cells. In addition to important scientific applications, a significant goal of this proposal is to provide experiential learning opportunities for students at Rutgers University-Camden. Such opportunities are essential on this campus, to increase engagement in the large population of first-generation college students as well as students who identify with groups commonly underrepresented in STEM fields. Recruitment, training, and mentoring will ensure that students become highly competitive for future endeavors in industry and academia. The campus location in the heart of Camden, NJ provides unmatched opportunities for outreach in the surrounding community. Towards this goal, an outreach program called MEDIA (Meeting Exceptional Diverse Inclusive Academics) will be launched, where a diverse group of scientists from Rutgers-Camden will interact with grade school students; the goal of this program is early intervention to dissuade common scientist gender and race stereotypes frequently portrayed by the media that can limit interest in and later pursuit of scientific study.TECHNICAL SUMMARYPlasmonic nanoparticles, such as those comprised of gold, hold great potential as photosensitizers due to their unique optical properties which allow them to strongly absorb light and convert that energy into a localized response; the localized surface plasmon resonance absorption wavelength can be readily tuned through size, shape, organization, and composition. This plasmonic response can result in thermal and/or mechanical disruptions to the surrounding environment. This proposal hypothesizes that plasmonic effects can disrupt both the local organization of both diblock copolymer bilayer membranes which make up polymersome carrier vesicles, as well as DNA origami assemblies, both together and individually. The first aim of this work proposes to address the level of disruptions (i.e., poration vs. thermal dissociation). In Aim 2, the fundamental knowledge acquired in Aim 1 will be used to rationally design polymersome-DNA heterovesicles. The ability to control and detect the macromolecular organization of each component will be developed, to gain high spatiotemporal control over dissociation, poration, and cargo release in response to pulsed irradiation. Synergistically, this work will open doors to many training opportunities for undergraduate, M.S., and Ph.D. students at Rutgers-Camden, creating a hierarchy of opportunity, mentorship, and productivity. A large emphasis will be on the recruitment and retention of first generation college students and students from groups underrepresented in STEM, by providing paid research training and creating a sense of belonging in the scientific community through opportunities such as conference presentations. Proposed outreach programs in grade schools in the local Camden, NJ community will ensure the future diversity of STEM scholars by working towards offsetting the commonly media portrayed racial and gender stereotypes of scientists, through a program entitled MEDIA (Meeting Exceptional Diverse Inclusive Academics).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.

该奖项全部或部分根据2021年美国救援计划法案（公法117-2）资助。 LEAPS-MPS：通过等离子体激元激活控制的大分子组装体的合理设计第1部分： 在自然界中，光控制着大量的物理和生物过程。在合成系统中，使用光作为触发器来启动过程是有益的，因为它通常是生物相容的，并且可以在时间和空间上得到很好的控制，特别是通过使用超快激光。这项提议试图利用光来引发大分子的结构变化，例如DNA组装和称为囊泡的分子储存室。囊泡是令人感兴趣的，因为它们提供了将内容物区室化的能力，防止与周围环境相互作用;光诱导的结构破坏可以允许它们的内容物按需释放。为了实现这一点，光必须转换为热能或机械能，从而破坏周围的结构。这可以通过被称为纳米颗粒的小金颗粒的独特光敏特性来实现，有时仅由几百个原子组成。DNA组装可以通过为纳米颗粒放置提供支架来帮助这一过程。对这些相互作用的彻底研究有可能对生物技术和纳米技术的应用产生变革性影响，例如，药物递送，允许治疗剂在体内特定位置释放，以减少对健康组织或细胞的副作用。除了重要的科学应用外，该提案的一个重要目标是为罗格斯大学卡姆登分校的学生提供体验式学习机会。这样的机会在这个校园里是必不可少的，以增加第一代大学生的大量人口的参与，以及学生谁认同通常在STEM领域代表性不足的群体。招聘，培训和指导将确保学生成为行业和学术界未来努力的高度竞争力。校园位于新泽西州卡姆登市中心，为周边社区的外展提供了无与伦比的机会。为了实现这一目标，一个名为媒体的推广计划（会见杰出、多样、包容的学者）将启动，来自罗格斯大学卡姆登分校的多元化科学家团体将与小学生互动;该计划的目标是早期干预以劝阻媒体经常描绘的普通科学家性别和种族刻板印象，这些刻板印象可能限制对科学研究的兴趣和以后的追求。技术概述等离子体纳米颗粒，例如由金组成那些，由于其独特的光学性质而具有作为光敏剂的巨大潜力，所述光学性质允许它们强烈地吸收光并将能量转换成局部响应;局部表面等离子体共振吸收波长可以通过尺寸、形状、组织和组成容易地调节。这种等离子体响应可以导致对周围环境的热和/或机械破坏。该提议假设等离子体效应可以一起和单独地破坏构成聚合物囊泡载体的两种二嵌段共聚物双层膜的局部组织以及DNA折纸组装。这项工作的第一个目标是解决中断的水平（即，穿孔对热解离）。在目标2中，目标1中获得的基础知识将用于合理设计聚合物-DNA异质囊泡。将开发控制和检测每个组件的大分子组织的能力，以获得对响应于脉冲照射的解离、穿孔和货物释放的高时空控制。协同，这项工作将打开大门，为本科生，硕士，和博士罗格斯-卡姆登大学的学生，创造了机会，导师和生产力的层次结构。重点将放在招聘和留住第一代大学生和来自STEM代表性不足的群体的学生，通过提供有偿研究培训，并通过会议演讲等机会在科学界创造归属感。新泽西州卡姆登当地社区小学的拟议外展计划将通过努力抵消媒体对科学家的种族和性别刻板印象，确保STEM学者未来的多样性，通过一个名为媒体的项目，（会议特殊多样的包容性学者）该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的评估被认为值得支持。影响审查标准。