Acquisition of Equipment for Multidisciplinary NMR Upgrade for Polymer Science and Chemistry/Biochemistry

核磁共振是南密西西比大学(USM)聚合物科学系和化学-生物化学系最重要的分析工具。该合同将允许将现有的5台光谱仪升级到最新技术(3台溶液和2台固态仪器的新控制台、电子设备和探头)，并允许购买一台急需的500 MHz仪器，用于确定多肽和多(氨基酸)等天然聚合物的一级和二级结构，这是USM目前无法完成的。这些新的能力将极大地加强对在校学生和暑期学生(两个系的REU项目)以及那些参加暑期活动和专业发展研讨会(针对行业、大学和K-12教师)的动手教育努力。研究项目涉及聚合物扩散和松弛、形态、酶-底物相互作用和结构-性质行为等广泛的基本问题。最重要的是，这些升级将扩大USM之前在开发新方法方面所做的努力，这些方法使用包括碳、氮和氢在内的各种同位素标签来了解合成和自然材料的固态行为。公共摘要了解原子和分子是如何连接在一起的，以及它们如何在溶液和固态中堆积和移动，有助于解决医学以及航空航天和汽车领域的问题。在提供这一基本知识方面独一无二的一种技术是使用核磁共振或核磁共振光谱学。这种方法类似于用来观察人体内部的磁共振成像(MRI)，实际上是观察塑料和酶中的原子，以提供这些原子在承受压力时或当它们与药物等其他分子相互作用时所做的信息。南密西西比大学的这项升级和扩展核磁共振能力的奖项为进行这种类型的分析提供了最先进的仪器。这种设备正在解决的基本问题包括，例如，如何改善尼龙等聚合物的性能，以便它可以用于汽车和航空航天工业，以减轻重量和提高燃料效率。在生物医学领域，研究构成人体并保持健康的天然聚合物将有助于我们了解衰老和癌症等问题。这些信息还为如何开发可以修复或取代磨损和疾病器官的新药和新材料提供了线索。最重要的是，该奖项将如何帮助密西西比州的学生在基础科学方面进行教育，从而帮助他们在教育、技术和医学领域的职业生涯中受益于整个美国。

NMR is the single most important analysis tool in the Departments of Polymer Science and Chemistry-Biochemistry at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM). This award will allow upgrade of five existing spectrometers to current technology (new consoles, electronics and probes for 3 solution and 2 solid state instruments) plus allow purchase of a much-needed 500 MHz instrument for determining primary and secondary structures of natural polymers such as peptides and poly(amino acids) that cannot be done now at USM. These new capabilities will greatly enhance hands-on educational efforts for on-campus and summer students (REU programs in both departments), and those that participate in summer activities and professional development workshops (for industry and for college and K-12 teachers). Research projects address a broad range of fundamental questions on polymer diffusion and relaxation, morphology, enzyme-substrate interaction and structure-property behavior. Most important is the capability these upgrades will provide for expanding previous efforts at USM in developing new methods for understanding solid state behavior of synthetic and natural materials using a wide-range of isotopic labels including carbon, nitrogen and deuterium.%%%%Public AbstractUnderstanding how atoms and molecules are joined together, and how they pack and move in solutions and in the solid state, helps solve problems in medicine, and in the aerospace and automotive areas. One technique that is unique in providing this fundamental knowledge uses NMR or nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. This method, which is similar to Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) used in looking inside the human body, actually looks at the atoms in plastics and enzymes to provide information on what those atoms are doing undergo strain or when they interact with other molecules like drugs. This award for upgrading and extending the NMR capabilities at the University of Southern Mississippi makes available state-of-the-art instruments for doing this type of analysis. Basic problems being addressed with this equipment include, for example, ways of improving the properties of polymers like nylon so it can be used in the automotive and aerospace industries to reduce weight and increase fuel efficiency. In the biomedical area, studying the natural polymers that make up the human body and keep us healthy will help us understand the problems such aging and cancer. This information also gives clues on how to develop new drugs and new materials that can repair or replace worn out and diseased organs. Most important is how the award will help educate students in Mississippi in basic science that will help them in careers in education, technology and medicine that will benefit all of America.