Acquisition of Instrumentation for Biophysical Studies: Differential Scanning Calorimeter and Isothermal Titration Calorimeter

该奖项支持购买等温滴定量热仪（ITC），差示扫描量热仪（DSC），以及相关的软件和硬件支持数据分析。该仪器的设计易于使用，重复操作（坚固的设计）和快速的吞吐量。这种新一代的量热计提供了一个数量级的改进灵敏度和基线重现性与小细胞体积。生物分子系统的热力学可以直接测量在一个模型无关的具体方法。DSC和ITC直接测量生物分子系统的焓、熔融温度和结合常数，提供系统的自由能和熵的精确测量。具体研究项目包括：（1）三核苷酸重复DNA序列的热力学，（2）DNA双链体形成热容的测定，（3）结合常数的测量，和（4）DNA哑铃分子线的热力学。这些仪器的购置将为本科生的生物物理化学研究、高年级本科生的生物物理研究培训以及生物化学和物理化学本科生课程工作的新实验室模块的开发和应用提供条件。

This award supports the purchase an isothermal titration calorimeter (ITC), a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), and related software and hardware support for data analysis. The instruments are designed for ease of use, repeated operation (rugged design) and rapid throughput. This new generation of calorimeters provides an order of magnitude improvement in sensitivity and baseline reproducibility with small cell volumes. Thermodynamics of biomolecular systems can be directly measured in a model-independent specific method. DSC and ITC directly measure enthalpy, melting temperature and binding constants for biomolecular systems providing accurate measurements of free energy and entropy of the systems. Specific research projects include: (1) thermodynamics of trinucleotide repeat DNA sequences, (2) determination of the heat capacity of DNA duplex formation, (3) binding constant measurements, and (4) thermodynamics of DNA dumbbell molecular wires. Acquisition of these instruments will provide for biophysical chemical research with undergraduates students, biophysical research training of advanced undergraduate students and development and application of new laboratory modules for undergraduate course work in biochemistry and physical chemistry.