A Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer and Microscope for Bionanomaterials Analysis

用于生物纳米材料分析的傅里叶变换红外光谱仪和显微镜

• 批准号: RTI-2020-00030
• 负责人: Rainey, Jan
• 金额: $ 10.8万
• 依托单位: Dalhousie University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Research Tools and Instruments
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2019-01-01 至 2020-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=693640
• 关键词: Fourier; Transform; Infrared; Spectrometer; Microscope

This grant will be used to provide a research-grade Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrometer and microscope allowing new experiments to be conducted by researchers at both Dalhousie University and Saint Mary's University. IR spectroscopy allows for in-depth characterization of the exact state of the atoms and molecules that make up a wide variety of materials. All seven co-applicants and their 41 current trainees, ranging from undergraduate student to professional research associate, will be able to immediately take advantage of this instrument for: fundamental studies of proteins critical for life in diverse organisms including humans, fungi, plants, marine oraganisms, and spiders; for development of novel materials based on proteins, other naturally-derived starting materials, or synthetic polymers; and, for development of new sustainable and cost-effective molecular sensor technologies.******This instrument will be used to study proteins, such as spider silks, fungal coat proteins, photosynthetic proteins from plants, antifreeze proteins employed by fish and other organisms to survive in cold conditions, and extracellular matrix proteins that support cell growth in many organisms. Studies of other classes of material will also be enabled and routinely carried out, including polymeric networks capable of being loaded with cargos such as drug molecules, metals patterned using naturally-inspired templates, materials developed as part of unique sensors for specific molecular species; or, pigments in artwork. IR spectroscopy and the ability to carry this out as a function of location through microscopy provides the capability to determine the folded states for each of these classes of protein and the molecular arrangement and structuring in non-protein materials. This, in turn, gives direct insight into the intricate arrangement of atoms that allows each type of protein or material to function correctly. These types of study are being employed by the applicants to engineer and develop new biodegradable and sustainable materials and sensors. ******This instrument will be installed in the Biophysical Analysis Facility at Dalhousie, providing ready access to all of the co-applicants and to many other researchers at Dalhousie, Saint Mary's and beyond. This instrument will be operated directly by students and other highly qualified personnel as a part of their research training, each of whom will be mentored in hands-on use of the instrumentation and in expert analysis of the resulting data.

这笔赠款将用于提供研究级傅里叶变换红外（FT-IR）光谱仪和显微镜，使新的实验能够由达尔豪西大学和圣玛丽大学的研究人员进行。红外光谱允许深入表征构成各种材料的原子和分子的确切状态。所有七个共同申请人和他们的41名现有学员，从本科生到专业研究助理，将能够立即利用这一仪器：对包括人类，真菌，植物，海洋生物和蜘蛛在内的各种生物体中的生命至关重要的蛋白质的基础研究;基于蛋白质，其他天然来源的起始材料或合成聚合物的新材料的开发;以及开发新的可持续和具有成本效益的分子传感器技术。*该仪器将用于研究蛋白质，如蜘蛛丝，真菌外壳蛋白，植物光合蛋白，鱼类和其他生物在寒冷条件下生存的抗冻蛋白，以及支持许多生物体细胞生长的细胞外基质蛋白。对其他类型材料的研究也将被启用并定期进行，包括能够装载药物分子等货物的聚合物网络，使用自然灵感模板图案化的金属，作为特定分子物种的独特传感器的一部分开发的材料;或者，艺术品中的颜料。红外光谱和通过显微镜进行此作为位置的函数的能力提供了确定这些类别的蛋白质中的每一种的折叠状态以及非蛋白质材料中的分子排列和结构的能力。这反过来又可以直接洞察原子的复杂排列，使每种类型的蛋白质或材料正确发挥作用。这些类型的研究正在被申请人用于设计和开发新的可生物降解和可持续的材料和传感器。****** 该仪器将安装在达尔豪西的生物物理分析设施中，为所有共同申请人和达尔豪西、圣玛丽及其他地方的许多其他研究人员提供方便。该仪器将由学生和其他高素质人员直接操作，作为其研究培训的一部分，每个人都将在实际使用仪器和对所得数据进行专家分析方面得到指导。