Low cost ion channel measurement system for education

CBET-0828970雅各布·施密特，加州大学洛杉矶分校的学术价值在单分子水平上研究离子通道通常需要在体外重建脂质双层，这是一个需要专门仪器和专业知识的微妙过程。一旦形成，双层是易碎的，不能移动，因此必须在使用时形成。由于这些因素，专家是这项技术的唯一实践者。这是不幸的，因为膜和离子通道的测量通常很容易执行和解释。学生对这些系统的实验室访问通常发生在本科或研究生专业的高级课程中，在首席调查员(PI)看来，这是一个不必要的限制。最近，PI开发了一种高冰点的膜组合物，使双层自组装能够可逆地中断。当在双层形成完成之前冻结时，双层前体足够坚固，能够进行运输。随后解冻的膜在各个方面都类似于传统形成的膜，并且还可以在单分子水平上支持离子通道的测量。PI计划进一步发展这项冷冻膜技术，寻找最优的溶液条件和基质材料，最大限度地提高产量和最大限度地减少形成时间。对于项目本身的工作，将支持一名研究生和一名本科生的研究和培训。该项目的成果将在科学会议上公布和公开展示。影响最显著的部分在于创造了一种廉价且易于使用的离子通道实验工具，高中生不仅可以从他们的背景和经验方面获得这种工具，而且因为设备和用品的成本非常低。PI认为这项技术有可能对高中科学课程产生非常大的影响，因为它将增加以前从专业知识和成本角度看不可能的能力。

CBET-0828970Jacob Schmidt, University of California-Los Angeles Intellectual merit Studying ion channels at the single molecule level commonly requires in vitro reconstitution of a lipid bilayer, a delicate process requiring specialized apparatus and expertise. Once formed, the bilayers are fragile and cannot be moved, necessitating their formation at the time and point of use. Because of these factors, specialists are the only practitioners of this technique. This is unfortunate because membrane and ion channel measurements are often simple to execute and interpret. Laboratory access to these systems by students typically occurs in upper level undergraduate or graduate major courses, an unnecessary limitation in the view of the Principal Investigator (PI). Recently, the PI has developed a high freezing point membrane composition enabling bilayer selfassembly to be reversibly interrupted. When frozen before bilayer formation is complete, the bilayer precursor is sufficiently robust to enable shipping. The subsequently thawed membranes resemble conventionally formed membranes in every way and can also support measurements of ion channels at the single molecule level. The PI plans to further develop this frozen membrane technology, find optimal solution conditions and substrate materials that maximize yield and minimize formation time.Broader impacts This project has a very large broader impact component. For the work on the project itself, the research and training of one graduate and one undergraduate student will be supported. The results of the project will be published and presented publicly at scientific meetings. The most significant component of the impact lies in the creation of an inexpensive and easy to use a tool for ion channel experimentation that will be accessible by high school students not only with respect to their background and experience but also because the apparatus and supplies have very low cost. The PI thinks that this technology has the potential to make a very large impact on high school science curricula as it will add capabilities that were not possible before from an expertise and cost perspective.