Purchase of a Multi-Angle Light Scattering System with Integrated Size Exclusion Chromatography

 描述（由申请人提供）：申报的多角度光散射仪，集成分子排阻色谱（SEC-MALS）。该仪器将支持五个主要用户，所有这些用户都从事生物医学研究，其中四个用户由NIH支持。具体项目集中在以下方面：确定结构性眼透镜蛋白的结构聚集倾向和寡聚化状态，理解蛋白质折叠过程中形成的中间体，表征膜蛋白与膜和蛋白质结合伴侣的相互作用，设计用于医学诊断的新型仿生材料和纳米颗粒。在这些项目中研究的大分子与许多疾病有关，如白内障、衣原体、胃溃疡和癌症。此外，三个小用户，他们都是有前途的研究计划的初级教师，将有机会使用这个工具，推进他们的研究和加强他们未来的建议。生物物理信息和所提出的仪器获得的理解可以为设计新的，创新的治疗方法提供基础。 拟议的系统的最大影响来自这样一个事实，即目前没有现代化的，功能性的MALS仪器可供用户在UCI。因此，需要这项技术的研究人员必须依赖外部合作者和公司，这减慢了研究进展的速度，并严重减少了可以收集的数据量。主要用户和次要用户都将受益于新仪器的DLS和SLS功能，使我们能够对结构生物学、仿生材料和生物物理化学领域产生重大影响。拟议的SEC-MALS仪器的收购对于缓解UCI当前和未来的表征需求以及UCI继续进行高影响力的生物医学研究至关重要。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The proposed multi-angle light scattering instrument with integrated size exclusion chromatography (SEC-MALS). The instrument will support five major users, all of whom are engaged in biomedical research, and four of whom are supported by NIH. Specific projects are focused on the following: determining the structural aggregation propensity and oligomerization state of structural eye lens proteins, understanding intermediates formed during protein folding, characterizing the interactions of membrane proteins with both membranes and protein binding partners, designing novel biomimetic materials and nanoparticles for medical diagnosis. The macromolecules studied in these projects are associated with numerous diseases, such as cataract, chlamydia, gastric ulcers and cancer. Additionally, three minor users, all of whom are junior faculty with promising research programs, will have the opportunity to use this instrument, advancing their research and strengthening their future proposals. The biophysical information and understanding gained with the proposed instrument could provide the basis for designing new, innovative treatments. The biggest impact of the proposed system derives from the fact that there is currently no modern, functional MALS instrument available for users at UCI. As a result, researchers who need this technology must rely on external collaborators and companies, slowing down the pace of research progress and severely curtailing the amount of data that can be collected. The Major and Minor Users will all benefit from the DLS and SLS capabilities of the new instrument, enabling us to make a major impact on the fields of structural biology, biomimetic materials, and biophysical chemistry. The acquisition of the proposed SEC-MALS instrument is essential to alleviating UCI's current and future characterization demands and for UCI to continue doing high-impact biomedical research.