Advanced Photoluminescence Spectrometer to Establish Core Facilities in the Department of Chemistry and Support Its Pillars of Research

我们正在申请资金，以购买具有时间分辨和近红外(NIR)能力的先进光致发光(PL)光谱仪，以支持不列颠哥伦比亚大学奥卡纳根校区(UBCO)化学系的研究。该系统将加快申请者在生物物理、化学生物学和清洁技术领域的研究计划。PL光谱仪将是UBCO为其更广泛的研究社区正在建设的新的跨学科协作创新(ICI)大楼的核心设施的组成部分。申请者的研究项目需要先进的光谱分析仪，以最大限度地发挥其影响，增加出版物的覆盖面，并获得下游知识产权(IP)的价值。先进的光谱仪将使我们能够：(1)设计新的生物传感功能，以阐明组织机械敏感性的分子机制；(2)研究小分子如何影响蛋白质相互作用，以确定作用机制；以及(3)开发准确的光物理模型，以指导太阳能转换改进材料的工程设计。申请者无法获得实现这些研究目标所急需的设备，只有在申请资金的情况下才能获得。作为UBCO新ICI大楼核心设施的一部分，光谱仪将把跨学科的HQP集群聚集在一起，促进跨学科合作。在系战略讨论中，所有积极从事实验研究的教职员工都表示，使用光谱仪将使他们的研究计划和受训人员受益。该部门目前有5名博士后、14名博士、19名硕士和30名研究型本科生(UG)实习生，其中超过一半的人预计将成为光谱仪的常规用户。因此，PL光谱仪将填补生物物理、生物化学、化学生物学、无机化学和材料化学方面的重要HQP培训空白。这些设备的问世将为HQP提供新的机会，以扩展他们的研究方法，更深入地了解他们的分子和材料体系，建立更好的电子结构模型，并探索新的研究领域。由于它是加拿大为数不多的光谱仪之一，UBCO的PL光谱仪将使HQP在未来的就业中获得竞争优势。例如，半导体行业使用PL表征来评估其材料的纯度和价值，并需要精通先进PL方法的HQP。所需的设备将在UBC建立研究专业知识和能力，并将增强对加拿大的长期好处。

We are requesting funding to purchase an advanced photoluminescence (PL) spectrometer with time-resolved and near-infrared (NIR) capabilities to support research across the Department of Chemistry at the University of British Columbia, Okanagan campus (UBCO). This system will accelerate the applicants' research programs in the fields of biophysics, chemical biology, and clean technologies. The PL spectrometer will be an integral part of the core facilities in the new Interdisciplinary Collaboration Innovation (ICI) building under construction at UBCO for its wider research community. The applicants' research programs require the advanced PL spectrometer to maximize their impact, increase the reach of publications, and gain value of downstream intellectual property (IP). The advanced PL spectrometer will enable us to: (1) design new biosensing capabilities to elucidate molecular mechanisms in tissue mechanosensitivity, (2) investigate how small molecules affect protein interactions to identify mechanisms of action, and (3) develop accurate photophysical models to guide the engineering of improved materials for solar energy conversion. The equipment urgently needed to attain these research goals is not available to the applicants and can only be obtained with the funding requested. As part of the Core Facilities of UBCO's new ICI building, the spectrometer will bring together clusters of interdisciplinary HQP, fostering cross-discipline collaboration. In departmental strategy discussions, all experimental research-active faculty members indicated that access to a PL spectrometer will benefit their research program and trainees. The Department currently counts 5 postdocs, 14 PhD, 19 MSc, and 30 research undergraduate (UG) trainees, with over half expected to become routine users of the spectrometer. Thus, the PL spectrometer will fill an important HQP training gap in biophysics, biochemistry, chemical biology, inorganic chemistry, and materials chemistry. The availability of the equipment will open new opportunities for HQPs to expand their research methods, gain deeper insight into their molecular and material systems, build better electronic structure models, and explore new research areas. Since it is one of few in Canada, UBCO's PL spectrometer will give HQP a competitive advantage in their future employment. For example, the semiconductor industry uses PL characterization to evaluate the purity and value of their materials, and has a need for HQP versed in advanced PL methods. The requested equipment will build research expertise and capacity at UBC and will also potentiate long-term benefits to Canada.