Atomic Force Microscopy System for Biomedical, Materials, and Environmental Research

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Atomic force microscopy system (AFM) is one of the leading-edge scientific research tools for imaging, measuring, and manipulating samples at the nanoscale level. Specimen information is acquired by scanning its surface with a piezoelectrically driven mechanical probe. The requested AFM will be the only one on the Okanagan campus and, as such, it will be made available to all researchers on the campus. In this proposal, we highlight some of the multidisciplinary research performed by a diverse group of faculty that will benefit from this equipment. The researchers collaborating for this piece of equipment are from the fields of biomedical engineering, electrical engineering, environmental engineering, mechanical engineering, materials engineering, and biophysics. Therefore, the new AFM system will support current and future research activities of at least seven research programs from UBC’s Okanagan campus. The AFM system is an essential tool on any University campus and especially in the Okanagan campus where we have a strong contingency of materials and bio/nanomaterials researchers. Since there is no AFM system on the Okanagan campus nor in any of the local colleges or research facilities nearby, the travel to other institutions to make measurements has imposed a significant cost of travel and research delay for the respective research programs. More specifically, the discovery grants and strategic projects led by the applicants are urgently dependent on the use of an AFM system on our campus. From a long term perspective, we have several collaboration opportunities with the emerging local industries on the characterization of new materials that can be pursued using the AFM. Further delays will possibly result in losing some of our potential collaborations and significant damage to research programs. The proposed AFM system will be located in the CFI funded Integrated Bio-Micro/Nanotechnology Laboratory in the Engineering Building. We expect that the instrument will initially be used for about 20 hours per week but grow to close to or exceeding 140 hrs per month by users across the campus as the campus learns of the capabilities of the AFM. Therefore, there will be serious impacts to the research programs of many faculties. This equipment will support interdisciplinary research for approximately 20 graduate and undergraduate students. All students who will be working with the AFM will be thoroughly trained in how the AFM works, how to operate the AFM and how to interpret the data from the AFM. This includes the theory behind the tests, instrument calibration, sample preparation, experimental design, and data analysis. The use of the AFM will enhance their training in microscopy and surface characterization techniques immensely and truly allow the expansion of their research skills.