NSF-BSF: IIBR Instrumentation: Photonic Band Gap Resonators for High-Field Dynamic Nuclear Polarization of Biological Macromolecules

北卡罗来纳州立大学(美国NCSU)在生物基础设施部的生物研究基础设施创新计划和化学部的化学测量和成像计划的支持下，通过使用脉冲高频动态核极化(DNP)方法，显著提高了核磁共振(NMR)谱的灵敏度，最高可达几个数量级。这是第一台光谱仪，将与特拉维夫大学(以色列TAU)合作开发，从而加强两国之间的科学合作。这种灵敏度的提高将扩大核磁共振方法的适用性，使其适用于一些最具挑战性的结构生物学问题，并有可能使该方法适用于研究活细胞中的蛋白质结构和功能。这个高度跨学科的合作项目将为具有生物、物理化学、自旋物理和毫米波技术背景的学生提供独特的培训机会。该项目旨在通过将NCSU发明的光子带隙谐振器技术从目前的200 GHz电子共振频率大幅扩展到400 GHz来改变DNP核磁共振方法，并利用TAU团队在脉冲整形和低温探头开发方面的专业知识。该仪器将工作在400 GHz电子和600 MHz质子核磁共振频率，这将非常有利于更高的分辨率和灵敏度。通过结合最先进的数字技术和固态毫米波器件的最新进展，将实现对电子自旋态的相干操纵。该光谱仪将作为一个独特的平台来开发在DNP中转移自旋极化的新方法。与传统的核磁共振光谱学相比，该方法有望产生关于生物大分子的新的结构和动态信息。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。

An award is made to North Carolina State University (NCSU, USA) with support from the Infrastructure Innovation Program for Biological Research in the Division of Biological Infrastructure and the Chemical Measurement and Imaging Program in the Division of Chemistry to considerably – by up to several orders of magnitude – improve sensitivity of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy by employing pulsed high-frequency methods of Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (DNP). This first-of-its kind spectrometer will be developed in partnership with Tel Aviv University (TAU, Israel), thereby strengthening scientific collaboration between the two Nations. Such gains in sensitivity will expand the applicability of NMR methods to some of the most challenging problems of structural biology and, potentially, make the method suitable for studying protein structure and function in living cells. This highly interdisciplinary collaborative project will provide unique training opportunities for students with backgrounds in biology, physical chemistry, spin physics, and millimeter-wave technologies.The project is aimed at transforming DNP NMR methods by significantly expanding the photonic band-gap resonator technology invented at NCSU from the current 200 GHz electron resonance frequency to 400 GHz and take advantage of the expertise of the TAU team in pulse shaping and cryoprobe development. The instrument will operate at 400 GHz electron and 600 MHz proton NMR frequencies, which will be highly beneficial for higher resolution and sensitivity. Coherent manipulation of the electronic spin states will be achieved by combining state-of-the- art digital technologies and recent advances in solid-state millimeter-wave devices. The spectrometer will serve as a unique platform for developing new methods for transferring spin polarization in DNP. The method is expected to yield novel structural and dynamic information on biological macromolecules as compared to conventional NMR spectroscopy.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.