MRI: Track 1 Acquisition of a Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-flight Mass Spectrometer for Analysis of Macromolecules

该奖项由重大研究仪器计划和化学研究仪器计划资助。凯斯西储大学的Geneviève Sauvé教授代表全校8个系的15名研究人员购买了一台基质辅助激光解吸/电离飞行时间质谱仪(MALDI-TOF MS)。该仪器将实现广泛的创新和变革性的研究活动，这些活动依赖于具有大质量范围的软电离质谱学技术，包括分析脆弱的大分子、复杂的生物材料和合成聚合物。这一工具将加强大学和周边地区的研究基础设施。它将改善对最优秀学生和教职员工的招聘和留住。该工具通过为包括克利夫兰地区经济困难的高中生在内的不同学生群体提供新的项目，扩大了参与范围。该奖项还将促进不同层次的学生和博士后研究员的教育和培训。该奖项促进了影响STEM基础领域的各种学科的创新和变革性研究活动，从材料-能源研究到化学生物学界面问题的研究。新仪器提供的大分子的详细表征很难通过CWRU学者可用的其他技术或设备实现。该仪器将在以下领域带来新知识的发展：PI结合材料、非线性光学材料、荧光聚合物刷子、图形、生物启发纳米材料、成像和对比剂、功能化气核纳米颗粒、具有靶向表面黏附特性的生物分子、组织工程产品、DNA纳米结构、细胞过程的调节、了解敏化剂对RNA/DNA的化学损伤，以及阐明雌激素受体α蛋白的分子机制。这些知识将促进和加速有益于社会的研究，实际应用包括：印刷光电子设备，如光伏和发光二极管，解决输血短缺的人造血液替代品，保护RNA/DNA免光损伤的方法，具有可编程治疗特性的稳定DNA纳米结构，用于革命性白内障手术的新型刷状共聚物，将彻底改变癌症检测和治疗的新型分子，增强的磁共振造影剂，以及改进的工程软骨质量。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This award is funded by the Major Research Instrumentation Program and the Chemistry Research Instrumentation Program. Professor Geneviève Sauvé from Case Western Reserve University, on behalf of 15 investigators from 8 departments across the university, is acquiring a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer (MALDI-TOF MS). This instrument will enable a wide range of innovative and transformative research activities that depend upon a soft ionization mass spectroscopic technique with a large mass range, including analysis of fragile macromolecules, complex biomaterials and synthetic polymers. This instrument will strengthen the research infrastructure at the university and surrounding areas. It will improve recruitment and retention of the best students and faculty members. The instrument broadens participation by enabling new projects for a diverse student population, including economically disadvantaged high-school students from the Cleveland area. It will also advance education and training of diverse students at all levels and postdoctoral fellows.This award empowers innovative and transformative research activities across a wide variety of disciplines impacting fundamental STEM areas ranging from materials-energy research to the study of problems at the chemical biology interface. The detailed characterization of macromolecules provided by the new instrument are difficult to achieve by other techniques or equipment available to CWRU scholars. The instrument will lead to the development of new knowledge in areas including: pi-conjugated materials, nonlinear optical materials, fluorescent polymer brushes, graphynes, bioinspired nanomaterials, imaging and contrasting agents, functionalized gas-core nanoparticles, biomolecules with targeted surface-adhesive properties, tissue engineered products, DNA nanostructures, regulation of cellular processes, understanding chemical damage of RNA/DNA by sensitizers, and elucidating molecular mechanisms of the estrogen receptor alpha protein. This knowledge will enable and accelerate research that will benefit society, with practical applications including: printed optoelectronic devices such as photovoltaics and light emitting diodes, artificial blood surrogates to address shortages for blood transfusion, ways to protect RNA/DNA from photodamage, stable DNA nanostructures with programmable therapeutic properties, new brush copolymers to revolutionize cataract surgery, novel molecules that will revolutionize detection and treatment of cancer, enhanced MRI contrast agents, and improved engineered cartilage quality.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.