Single Molecule Spectroscopy of Biopolymers in Engineered Nanomaterials
- pdf version of the abstract

Abstract
New technology will someday exist for the fast separation of huge numbers of proteins and oligonucleotides to meet the rising demands for speed in genomics and proteomics. The creation of this new technology will rely on advances in materials science and analytical and physical chemistry. There will be many interesting spin-offs involving surface coatings, miniaturized analytical devices, and materials with controlled transport. Our research involves the design, synthesis, and study of new materials for fast, precise transport of proteins and DNA. We are presently investigating ordered arrays of silica nanospheres having diameters of typically 200 nm, which gives pore sizes of typically 30 nm. We use fluorescence microscopy combined with microchip electrophoresis to study proteins and DNA undergoing electromigration through these materials. This will gain us an understanding of how these biopolymers are transported through the ordered porous structure and how they interact with the surfaces to determine the speed limit of separations.