MRI: Track 1 Acquisition of a Nanoparticle Tracking Analyzer to Enhance Nanomaterial Research

这项重大研究仪器(MRI)奖支持收购纳米颗粒跟踪分析仪(NTA)。该仪器将用于测量纳米材料的尺寸和浓度。鉴于这些特性的重要性，仪器的能力将有助于对广泛的纳米材料应用的研究。它将使纳米材料产品的配方能够获得更好的质量和性能。该仪器还将评估纳米材料对人类或环境的暴露风险。该仪器将影响路易斯安那州北部长达100英里的I-20走廊沿线地区在研究、教育和培训方面的合作。涉及的机构包括唯一的工程项目、唯一的药学院、仅有的两所公立医学院之一，以及该地区历史上著名的一所黑人大学。该仪器将支持8个小组的研究，使5名博士后研究人员、31名研究生和60名本科生受益。乐器培训将通过在四个参与校园提供的课程进行传播。该仪器将吸引不同类型的学生参加研究培训。与其他尺寸和浓度测量技术相比，NTA仪器允许实时分析尺寸范围为10 nm-1微米的多分散样品。这使其成为提高相关机构及其NSF资助项目中教师的研究生产率和竞争力的有用工具。具体地说，它将促进：(1)高通量和大量生物制造胞外囊泡，并将其用于传感宿主细胞的生物信号和细胞治疗；(2)量化和调节用于药物、基因和疫苗应用的新型药物纳米载体的配方、表面性质和类型；以及(3)评估3D打印油墨中纳米碳的配方，监测水中的纳米塑料及其在新型过滤系统中的去除性能。该仪器还允许团队培训高素质的专业人员，以满足医疗保健、制药、先进材料、纳米制造和环境保护等领域劳动力目前和未来的需求。它的成功将使路易斯安那州的这些行业和商业部门受益，以改善其经济和环境。该项目由重大仪器研究计划(MRI)、既定的激励竞争研究计划(EPSCoR)和民用、机械和制造创新部门(CMMI)联合资助。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 Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) award supports the acquisition of a Nanoparticle Tracking Analyzer (NTA). The instrument will be used to measure the size and concentration of nanomaterials. Given the importance of these properties, the instrument capabilities will benefit research on a broad range of nanomaterial applications. It will enable the formulation of nanomaterial products for better quality and performance. The exposure risks of nanomaterials to humans or the environment will also be assessed with this instrument. The instrument will impact regional collaborations on research, education, and training along the ~100-mile I-20 corridor in North Louisiana. The institutes involved include the only engineering program, the only school of pharmacy, one of the only two public medical schools, and one well-known Historically Black University in that region. Research from eight groups will be enabled by the instrument, benefiting 5 post-doctoral researchers, 31 graduate students, and 60 undergraduate students. Instrument training will be disseminated through courses offered on the four participating campuses. The instrument will engage a diverse set of students in research training. Compared to other techniques on size and concentration measurement, the NTA instrument allows real-time analysis of polydisperse samples with a size range of 10 nm - 1 µm. This makes it a useful tool to promote the research productivity and competitiveness of faculty in the involved institutions and their NSF-funded projects. Specifically, it will enhance: (1) biomanufacturing extracellular vesicles with high throughput and large quantity, and their use in sensing biological signals of host cells and cell therapy; (2) quantifying and regulating formula, surface properties, and types of novel pharmaceutical nanocarriers for drugs, genes, and vaccine applications; and (3) assessing formula of nanocarbon in 3D printing ink, and monitoring nanoplastics in water as well as their removal performance in novel filtration systems. This instrument also allows the team to train highly qualified professionals to meet the present and future needs of the workforce in healthcare, pharmaceutics, advanced materials, nanomanufacturing, and environmental protection. Its success will benefit these industries and business sectors located in Louisiana to improve its economy and environment.This project is jointly funded by the Major Instrumentation Research Program (MRI), the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), and the division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI).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.