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

在生物基础设施部门生物研究基础设施创新计划和化学部门化学测量与成像计划的支持下，北卡罗来纳州立大学（NCSU， USA）获得了一项奖项，该奖项旨在通过采用脉冲高频动态核极化（DNP）方法，大幅提高核磁共振（NMR）光谱的灵敏度，提高幅度高达几个数量级。这种首个光谱仪将与特拉维夫大学（特拉维夫大学，以色列）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在结构生物学中一些最具挑战性问题的适用性，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学、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电子共振频率扩展到400 GHz来改变DNP NMR方法，并利用TAU团队在脉冲整形和冷冻探针开发方面的专业知识。该仪器将在400 GHz电子和600 MHz质子核磁共振频率下工作，这将有利于提高分辨率和灵敏度。电子自旋态的相干操纵将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来实现。该光谱仪将为开发DNP中传递自旋极化的新方法提供一个独特的平台。与传统的核磁共振光谱相比，该方法有望产生新的生物大分子结构和动态信息。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。

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.