UNS:Visible/Near-Infrared Sub-diffraction Imaging of DNA Walkers

摘要Choi，Jong Hyun 1512537该提案的目标是开发一种新的超分辨率方案，能够在可见光和近红外范围内同时成像，并将其用于研究合成DNA步行者。DNA步行者是一类核酸和纳米机器，它们沿着线性轨道呈现定向运动。目前的亚衍射成像方法使用的光谱范围高达~900 nm，因此无法利用0.9-1.4微米的窗口，即所谓的近红外IIa（NIR-IIa）生物窗口，在该窗口中，由于散射和自发荧光最小，光子穿透生物物质的深度最大。使用这种光谱窗口的能力将为获得和传输有关厚生物材料的信息开辟新的机会。多色亚衍射成像将使DNA步行者可视化，该步行者沿着碳纳米管轨道运输无机货物颗粒（例如CdTe/CdS核-壳双量子点）。纳米颗粒的可见荧光发射将用于定位DNA步行者沿着固定的单个碳纳米管，其在NIR-II范围内发荧光。拟议的计划将把研究工作与旨在促进公众对生物光子学的理解的教育和推广活动结合起来。这项工作包括本科生积极参与多学科研究。他们将通过与普渡大学工程和少数民族工程项目中的女性合作，在个人和机构层面积极招募女性和代表性不足的学生。

AbstractChoi, Jong Hyun1512537The goal of this proposal is to develop a novel super-resolution scheme capable of simultaneous imaging in the visible and near-infrared range, and to use it for studying synthetic DNA walkers. DNA walkers are a class of nucleic acid and nanomachines that exhibit directional motion along a linear track. The proposed imaging strategy will be explored as a super-resolved bioanalytical platform to study single DNA motors.Current sub-diffraction imaging methods uses a spectral range up to ~900 nm, thus failing to exploit 0.9-1.4 micron window, the so-called near-infrared IIa (NIR-IIa) biological window where the photon penetration depth into biological substances is the greatest due to minimal scattering and autofluorescence. The ability to use this spectral window would open up new opportunities to obtain and transfer the information about thick biological materials. Multicolor sub-diffraction imaging will visualize a DNA walker that transports inorganic cargo particles (e.g. CdTe/CdS core-shell nanocrystal quantum dots) along a carbon nanotube track. The visible fluorescence emission of the nanoparticles will be used to locate the DNA walkers along the immobilized individual carbon nanotubes that fluoresce in the NIR-II range. The proposed program will couple the research efforts with educational and outreach activities designed to advance the public understanding of biophotonics. The effort includes active involvement of undergraduate students in multidisciplinary research. They will actively recruit female and underrepresented students at individual and institutional levels via collaboration with Women in Engineering and Minority Engineering Programs at Purdue University.