CAREER: Design and Synthesis of Artificial Light-Gated Transmembrane Ion Channels

伊利诺伊大学厄巴纳-香槟分校化学系的先进材料项目授予该职业奖，以研究控制跨膜电流的光门控合成离子通道。凭借该奖项，Mary Gin教授将通过区域特异性修饰合成基于环糊精的通道支架。改性环糊精与捕获pH敏感染料将嵌入均匀的脂质囊泡直径约25nm。这些脂质囊泡的离子转运活性将通过测量染料的荧光强度变化来确定。计划中的研究预计将导致传感器的发展；时间释放药物和改进的水净化系统。该奖项的教育部分是帮助学生学习基础有机化学课程，并为研究生和本科生提供有机合成和生物衍生材料改性的实践经验。光激活的合成离子通道将由区域特异性修饰的环糊精制备，并嵌入均匀直径的均匀脂质囊泡中。在这些修饰的环糊精中捕获的pH敏感染料的荧光强度变化将用于测量这些合成离子通道的离子传输活性。传感器、时间释放药物和改进的水净化系统将是这些研究的一些潜在应用。此外，该职业奖将增加对学生基本有机化学课程的帮助，并将为他们提供有机合成和生物衍生材料化学修饰的研究机会。

The Advanced Materials Program in the Division of Chemistry makes this Career award to University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to study light-gated synthetic ion channels to control transmembrane currents. With this award, Professor Mary Gin will synthesize cyclodextrin-based channel scaffolds after regiospecific modifications. Modified cyclodextrins with a trapped pH sensitive dye will be embedded in homogenous lipid vesicles of approximately 25nm diameter. Ion transport activities of these lipid vesicles will be determined by measuring the fluorescence intensity changes in the dye. The planned studies are expected to result in the development of sensors; time released drugs and improved water purification systems. The educational component of the award is to assist students in Elementary Organic Chemistry courses, and to provide graduate and undergraduate students with hand-on experience in organic synthesis and modification of bioderived materials. Light-activated synthetic ion channels will be prepared from regiospecific-modified cyclodextrins and embedded in homogenous lipid vesicles with uniform diameter. Changes in fluorescence intensity of a pH sensitive dye trapped in these modified cyclodextrins will be utilized to measure ion transport activities of these synthetic ion channels. Sensors, time released drugs and improved water purification systems would be some of the potential applications coming out of these studies. In addition, this Career award will increase assistance to students in Elementary Organic Chemistry courses, and will provide them with research opportunities in organic synthesis and chemical modifications of bioderived materials.