Development and Construction of Single Molecule Force Spectrometers for Research and Student Training

材料研究仪器项目的这一奖项支持杜克大学机械工程、化学和生物化学系共享的一套四个单分子力谱仪的开发、培训和研究。这些仪器允许测量光谱仪尖端上的非常弱的力(数十皮牛顿)，作为其与表面的距离(控制在0.3 nm)的函数，从而可以研究单个分子的性质。仪器的内部建造将提供必要的专门知识，以修改和发展该设施，以满足未来的教育和研究需要。多种仪器的存在提供了必要的资源，以便能够同时进行开发和培训，同时仍然满足用户的研究需要。来自每个代表学科的学生将接受开发和/或使用单分子力谱的培训，这是一个在基础研究、生物技术和材料科学中日益重要的领域。目前，校园里没有这样的一般培训机会。该设施将位于中心位置，以鼓励来自所有学科的用户之间的互动和合作，这些互动将通过每个系的教师教授和监督的大分子相互作用课程来促进。材料研究仪器项目的这一奖项支持杜克大学机械工程、化学和生物化学系共享的一套四个单分子力谱仪的开发、培训和研究。这些仪器允许测量光谱仪尖端上的非常弱的力(几十皮牛顿)，作为它到表面的距离的函数(控制到一纳米的几分之一)，从而可以研究单个分子的性质。仪器的内部建造将提供必要的专门知识，以修改和发展该设施，以满足未来的教育和研究需要。多种仪器的存在提供了必要的资源，以便能够同时进行开发和培训，同时仍然满足用户的研究需要。来自每个代表学科的学生将接受开发和/或使用单分子力谱的培训，这是一个在基础研究、生物技术和材料科学中日益重要的领域。目前，校园里没有这样的一般培训机会。该设施将设在中心位置，以鼓励来自所有学科的用户之间的互动和合作，这些互动将通过由每个系的教员授课和监督的高分子相互作用课程来促进。

This award from the Instrumentation for Materials Research program supports the construction of a suite of four single-molecule force spectrometers for development, training and research to be shared by the Departments of Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry, and Biochemistry at Duke University. These instruments permit the measurement of very weak forces (tens of picoNewtons) on the spectrometer tip as a function of its distance from a surface (controlled to 0.3 nm), so that the properties of individual molecules can be studied. In-house construction of the instruments will provide the expertise necessary to modify and develop the facility to meet future educational and research needs. The presence of multiple instruments provides the resources necessary to allow concurrent development and training while still meeting the research needs of the users. Students from each of the represented disciplines will receive training in the development and/or use of single-molecule force spectrometry, an area of growing importance in fundamental research, biotechnology and materials science. No such general training opportunity presently exists on campus. The facility will be centrally located to encourage interactions and collaborations between users from all disciplines, and these interactions will be fostered through a course in macromolecular interactions to be taught and supervised by faculty from each department.This award from the Instrumentation for Materials Research program supports the construction of a suite of four single-molecule force spectrometers for development, training and research to be shared by the Departments of Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry, and Biochemistry at Duke University. These instruments permit the measurement of very weak forces (tens of piconewtons) on the spectrometer tip as a function of its distance from a surface (controlled to a fraction of a nanometer), so that the properties of individual molecules can be studied. In-house construction of the instruments will provide the expertise necessary to modify and develop the facility to meet future educational and research needs. The presence of multiple instruments provides the resources necessary to allow concurrent development and training while still meeting the research needs of the users. Students from each of the represented disciplines will receive training in the development and/or use of single-molecule force spectrometry, an area of growing importance in fundamental research, biotechnology and materials science. No such general training opportunity presently exists on campus. The facility will be centrally located to encourage interactions and collaborations between users from all disciplines, and these interactions will be fostered through a course in macromolecular interactions to be taught and supervised by faculty from each department.