Collaborative Research: Enhanced Circular Dichroism Sensing of Biomolecules Using Nanoparticles

Information

  • NSF Award
  • 1403226
Owner
  • Award Id
    1403226
  • Award Effective Date
    8/1/2014 - 9 years ago
  • Award Expiration Date
    7/31/2017 - 6 years ago
  • Award Amount
    $ 80,880.00
  • Award Instrument
    Standard Grant

Collaborative Research: Enhanced Circular Dichroism Sensing of Biomolecules Using Nanoparticles

Proposal: 1403947/1403226<br/>PI: Balaz, Milan/Dzyuba, Sergei<br/>Collaborative Research: Enhanced Circular Dichroism Sensing of Biomolecules Using Nanoparticles<br/><br/>Technical terms: The proposed project aims to utilize achiral metallic or semiconductor nanoparticles (NPs) to enhance and modulate circular dichroism (CD) signal of chiral biomolecules. CD is the preferred technique for detection and analysis of chiral compounds and their interactions. Significant enhancement of the sensitivity of CD spectroscopy coupled with the ability to shift CD signals to longer wavelengths will allow examining structures of biological molecules as well as supramolecular biorecognition phenomena at biologically relevant concentrations with minimal amount of unwanted overlaps. The enhanced sensitivity and modularity is anticipated to rise from the electronic coupling between achiral NPs and chiral molecules in their proximity. We will prepare achiral NPs functionalized with chiral molecules and study their structure and experimental CD characteristics. We will perform theoretical simulations of CD spectra to gain detailed structural and mechanistic insights into the origins of induced CD in metallic and semiconductor NPs capped with chiral biomolecules. This is the first time that the achiral metallic and semiconductor NPs will be designed and optimized to specifically enhance CD of chiral molecules. The project will further enhance our understanding of the origin of induced chiroptical activity in achiral metallic and semiconductor NPs and will have an immediate impact on the fields of biosensing and chiroptical nanomaterials.<br/><br/>Layman terms: Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy allows to detect chiral biomolecules and study their interactions. The project will develop novel methods that enhance the sensitivity and resolution of CD detection by utilizing metallic or semiconductor particles of nanometer size as potent amplifiers of CD signal. Enhanced signal detection will be strongly beneficial for the detection and study of low concentration and complex mixture of biologically active molecules that are difficult to explore by current methods.

  • Program Officer
    Rajakkannu Mutharasan
  • Min Amd Letter Date
    7/11/2014 - 9 years ago
  • Max Amd Letter Date
    7/11/2014 - 9 years ago
  • ARRA Amount

Institutions

  • Name
    Texas Christian University
  • City
    Fort Worth
  • State
    TX
  • Country
    United States
  • Address
    2800 South University Drive
  • Postal Code
    761290001
  • Phone Number
    8172577516

Investigators

  • First Name
    Sergei
  • Last Name
    Dzyuba
  • Email Address
    s.dzyuba@tcu.edu
  • Start Date
    7/11/2014 12:00:00 AM

Program Element

  • Text
    Chemical Measurement & Imaging
  • Code
    6880
  • Text
    NANO-BIOSENSING
  • Code
    7909

Program Reference

  • Text
    Multi-sens probes & platforms
  • Text
    BioMaPS
  • Code
    8007