Nanotechnology Now

Our NanoNews Digest Sponsors







Heifer International

Wikipedia Affiliate Button


Home > Press > UC Santa Cruz researchers receive $1.6M grant

Abstract:
"The nanopore will act as a smart gate for entry of individual molecules into the channel of the waveguide"

UC Santa Cruz researchers receive $1.6 million grant for biosensor project

Posted on March 29, 2006

Researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, have received major funding from the National Institutes of Health to develop new sensor technology for biomedical applications. The project builds on earlier advances by UCSC researchers in optical and electrical sensing technologies and involves a broad interdisciplinary group of collaborators at UCSC and Brigham Young University.

Holger Schmidt, an associate professor of electrical engineering at UCSC, is principal investigator on the grant from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, which will provide $1.6 million over four years for the sensor project.

"We aim to develop a new type of instrument that can do both electrical and optical sensing of single biomolecules, with all the components of the sensor ultimately integrated onto a chip," Schmidt said. "This would be the first device to provide both electrical and optical characterization of single molecules."

Potential applications for the new device include highly sensitive testing for medical diagnostics. It could also be a powerful tool for basic research in molecular biology.

In 2004, Schmidt and his coworkers reported the first demonstration of integrated optical waveguides with liquid cores. This technology, using the principle of antiresonant reflecting optical waveguides (ARROW), enables light propagation through tiny volumes of liquids on a chip. Since then, Schmidt has continued to work with Aaron Hawkins of Brigham Young University to optimize the properties of the liquid-core optical waveguides for use in sensor devices. The new project involves the collaboration of two other scientists at UCSC: David Deamer, professor of chemistry and biochemistry and acting chair of biomolecular engineering, and Harry Noller, Sinsheimer Professor of Molecular Biology.

Deamer has pioneered the development of nanopore devices for electrical sensing of single molecules. A nanopore is a tiny hole with dimensions on the order of nanometers (a nanometer is one billionth of a meter). Passage of a molecule through the hole generates a characteristic electrical signal. The team plans to integrate nanopores and liquid-core optical waveguides into the new sensor platform.

"The nanopore will act as a smart gate for entry of individual molecules into the channel of the waveguide," Schmidt said.

Noller is a leading authority on ribosomes, complex biomolecular machines that are the protein factories in all living cells. The researchers will use the new sensor platform to study individual ribosomes in action.

"In the integrated sensor, we will be able to study the ribosome without the need to immobilize it, so we hope to gain new understanding of how the ribosome works," Schmidt said.

The collaboration brings together researchers from three different departments at UCSC: the Departments of Electrical Engineering and Biomolecular Engineering, both in the Baskin School of Engineering, and the Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology in the Division of Physical and Biological Sciences.

"This is a truly multidisciplinary collaboration," Schmidt said. "I am very excited about using integrated optics to investigate real problems in molecular biology."

####


Note to reporters: You may contact Schmidt at (831) 459-1482 or hschmidt@soe.ucsc.edu



Media Contact:
Tim Stephens
(831) 459-2495
stephens@ucsc.edu

Copyright © University of California, Santa Cruz

If you have a comment, please Contact us.

Issuers of news releases, not 7th Wave, Inc. or Nanotechnology Now, are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.

Bookmark:
Delicious Digg Newsvine Google Yahoo Reddit Magnoliacom Furl Facebook

Related News Press

Possible Futures

Lifeboat publishes its first book: The Lifeboat Foundation has published its first book, "The Human Race to the Future: What Could Happen -- and What to Do" May 14th, 2013

UC Santa Barbara History Professor's Book Elucidates, Celebrates ‘Visioneers' May 14th, 2013

Conceptual Nanomedical Lipofuscin Removal Strategy April 29th, 2013

The Global Desalination Market 2013-2023 April 24th, 2013

Investments/IPO's/Splits

Elsevier Business Intelligence (EBI) to Host 'IN3 Medical Device 360 Boston,' June 24-26, 2013 May 20th, 2013

Aspen Aerogels Announces $22.5 Million Private Placement May 18th, 2013

Harris & Harris Group Notes the Sale of a Second D-Wave Quantum Computer May 16th, 2013

Nanometrics Announces Upcoming Investor Events May 14th, 2013

Nanomedicine

UofL scientists uncover how grapefruits provide a secret weapon in medical drug delivery May 22nd, 2013

Single-Cell Transfection Tool Enables Added Control for Biological Studies: McCormick researchers develop method of delivering molecules into targeted cells May 22nd, 2013

How Gold Nanoparticles Can Help Fight Ovarian Cancer May 21st, 2013

MU Researchers Develop Radioactive Nanoparticles that Target Cancer Cells: This is an early step toward developing therapies for metastasized cancers, MU scientist says May 21st, 2013

Sensors

New Nanopore Sensor Simplifies Analysis of Methylated DNA May 20th, 2013

Advancements and developments of solid-state nanopores sensors May 16th, 2013

Imec and Renesas collaborate on ultra-low power short range radios: Collaboration will develop robust wireless solutions for future electronics May 16th, 2013

Physicists discover a new kind of friction: Friction in the nano-world May 16th, 2013

Announcements

UofL scientists uncover how grapefruits provide a secret weapon in medical drug delivery May 22nd, 2013

Atomic-Scale Investigations Solve Key Puzzle of LED Efficiency: MIT and Brookhaven Lab scientists use electron microscopy imaging techniques to settle a solid-state controversy and raise new experimental possibilities May 22nd, 2013

Single-Cell Transfection Tool Enables Added Control for Biological Studies: McCormick researchers develop method of delivering molecules into targeted cells May 22nd, 2013

Rice unveils method for tailoring optical processors: Arranging nanoparticles in geometric patterns allows for control of light with light May 21st, 2013

NanoNews-Digest
The latest news from around the world, FREE





  Premium Products
NanoNews-Custom
Only the news you want to read!
 Learn More
NanoTech-Transfer
University Technology Transfer & Patents
 Learn More
NanoStrategies
Full-service, expert consulting
 Learn More












ASP
Nanotechnology Now Featured Books




NNN

The Hunger Project








abbigliamento uomo
Computer Accessories
© Copyright 1999-2013 7th Wave, Inc. All Rights Reserved PRIVACY POLICY :: CONTACT US :: STATS :: SITE MAP :: ADVERTISE