International Postdoctoral Fellows Program: Physics of DNA and Proteins

该奖项是根据国际 博士后研究员计划，使 美国科学家和工程师将进行三次 在国外中心进行为期12个月的研究 证明卓越。 该计划的奖项 提供联合研究的机会， 使用独特或互补的设施， 国外的实验条件和经验。 该奖项将支持为期12个月的 Adam Simon博士的博士后研究访问 和大卫·本西蒙博士一起工作 法国巴黎CNRS的一名普通科学家。 他们提出的研究计划涉及 DNA和蛋白质的物理学 它包括 两个一般部分。 第一个是计划 准确表征物理性质 包括DNA的弹性和扭转 强度使用基于激光镊子的实验， 研究DNA的物理和动力学 复制和聚合，包括 相关马达蛋白的活性 涉案 第二部分，他们打算 进行精确的皮牛顿力测量， 运动蛋白对，如肌动蛋白-肌球蛋白， 一种增强型磁反馈非接触尖端， 在原子力显微镜上 精确 相互作用力测量可以通过 例如，用低浓度的 肌球蛋白分子的密度和测量 与肌动蛋白丝的相互作用力。 他们 希望能揭示出单分子的细节 相互作用，使人们能够理解 基本力发生器 授标建议提供资金， 包括国际旅行， 12个月和一小笔旅行津贴， 国内旅行。

This award is under the International Postdoctoral Fellows Program, which enables U.S. scientists and engineers to conduct three to twelve months of research at foreign centers of proven excellence. The program's awards provide opportunities for joint research, and the use of unique or complementary facilities, expertise and experimental conditions abroad. This award will support a twelve-month postdoctoral research visit by Dr. Adam Simon to work with Dr. David Bensimon at Ecole Normale Superieure, CNRS in Paris, France. Their proposed research program concerns the physics of DNA and proteins. It consists of two general parts. The first one is a plan to accurately characterize the physical properties of DNA, including the elasticity and torsional strength using laser tweezer based experiments, and to study the physics and dynamics of DNA replication and polymerization, including the activity of the associated motor proteins involved. For the second part, they intend to make precise picoNewton force measurements of motor protein pairs, like actin-myosin, using an enhanced magnetic feedback non-contact tip on an Atomic Force Microscope. Precise interaction force measurements can be made by coating the tip, for example, with a low density of myosin molecules and measuring the interaction force with an actin filament. They expect to reveal details of the single molecule interaction, allowing understanding of the elementary force generator. The award recommendation provides funds to cover international travel, a stipend for twelve months and a small travel allowance for in-country travel.