Colorado State University NSF-REU Summer
Program in Materials Chemistry Research:
Synthesis, Characterization, and Device Fabrication
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Alan Van
Orden
For
more information, visit our group webpage…
Research
in the Van Orden group is in the emerging field of single molecule detection
and spectroscopy. One of our goals is to better understand the relationship
that exists between the spectroscopic properties of an individual molecule and
the structure of its immediate surroundings. For example, many types of
chemical sensors consist of fluorescently labeled biomolecules, such as
antibodies or DNA hybridization probes, that are bound to glass or polymer
supports. The spectroscopic properties of each individual biomolecule varies
with the structure of its local environment, which effects the overall
performance of the chemical sensing device. Our approach to understanding the
effects of these structural variations is to directly measure fluorescence
spectra and local topographies of the sensor molecules a single molecule at a
time using an integrated single molecule optical and atomic force microscope.
The results of these studies will ultimately lead to the development of a new
class of chemical sensors that are more sensitive and selective than those
presently available.
Another
major emphasis of our research is in the development new analytical instruments
that combine the speed and sensitivity of single molecule spectroscopy with the
selectivity of electrophoretic separation methods. A variety of techniques are
used to determine the electrophoretic mobilities of single molecules in
microcapillaries or in gel matrices, including fluorescence correlation
spectroscopy and single molecule tracking microscopy. By measuring these
properties one molecule at a time, different components of a mixture can be
identified without waiting for a complete separation to take place. More rapid
and efficient methods for characterizing the interactions between small
molecules, such as drugs or environmental toxins, and biological molecules,
like nucleic acids, peptides, and proteins, are being developed in this way.
Students
who are interested in applying concepts from analytical chemistry,
spectroscopy, scanning probe microscopy, and nanotechnology to problems in the
biomedical, materials, and environmental sciences are welcome to participate in
these projects.
Supported by
NSF-REU
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