Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
University of Waterloo
$150,000.00
Fast Time-Resolved Fluorometer
FY 2014-15
Summary
This proposal is a request to purchase a fast time-resolved fluorometer. Fluorescence describes the process whereby a dye releases its excess energy by emitting a photon. This process occurs on a time scale of a few tens of nanoseconds and a time-resolved fluorometer (TRF) measures how quickly the fluorescence emitted by a dye dissipates over time. TRFs are used to study a variety of molecules which are used in plastics, detergents, proteins, DNA, and many other synthetic and natural products. Many fluorescence studies probe the interactions between a dye and another molecule that is introduced in the system to quench the fluorescence of the dye. The time scale over which quenching occurs provides critical information about the system under study. For instance, the low quenching rate of a dye located in the hydrophobic pocket of a macromolecule by a water-soluble quencher demonstrates that the interior of the hydrophobic pocket is highly viscous locally and that the macromolecule could be used as a delivery vehicle for the slow release of hydrophobic drugs. Different TRFs are used to probe different time scales of quenching. The quenching processes targeted by this application are rapid occurring over a few tens of picoseconds. Such fluorescence experiments require the use of a fast TRF (fTRF). Because a fTRF can be employed by scientists and engineers with varied expertise, the requested fTRF is expected to serve the broad research community at the University of Waterloo. The research projects that will be conducted in this proposal include the study of porphyrin constructs that undergo the same antenna effect taking place in the leaves of plants, the flexibility of dendrimers used for drug delivery, the solution behavior of polymers used in paints or super absorbents, the characterization of inorganic quantum dots, the efficiency of organic electronics, the interactions between DNA and quantum dots, and the self-organization of peptides with antibiotic activity in lipid membranes.
Program
Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
Recipient
Location
Ontario, Canada
Recipient Type
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
As published
Application id
472643-2015
Name nom
Duhamel, Jean
Department département
Chemistry
Organization id
33
Institution établissement
University of Waterloo
Province en
Ontario
Province fr
Ontario
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2014
Competition year année de concours
2015
Award amount
150000
Program id
EQPEQ
Program name en
Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
Program name fr
Outils et instruments de recherche - catégorie 1 (<150 000$)
Group en
Discovery grants programs
Group fr
Programmes de subventions à la découverte
Committee code
1504
Committee name en
Chemistry
Committee name fr
Chimie
Area of application code
1208
Area of application group en
Advancement of knowledge
Area of application group fr
Avancement des connaissances
Area of application en
Materials sciences
Area of application fr
Sciences des matériaux
Research subject code
3406
Research subject group en
Physical chemistry
Research subject group fr
Chimie physique
Research subject en
Photochemistry and photophysics
Research subject fr
Photochimie et photophysique
Partie
1
Nb partie
1
Application title
Fast Time-Resolved Fluorometer
Keyword
NSERC
Application summary
This proposal is a request to purchase a fast time-resolved fluorometer. Fluorescence describes the process whereby a dye releases its excess energy by emitting a photon. This process occurs on a time scale of a few tens of nanoseconds and a time-resolved fluorometer (TRF) measures how quickly the fluorescence emitted by a dye dissipates over time. TRFs are used to study a variety of molecules which are used in plastics, detergents, proteins, DNA, and many other synthetic and natural products. Many fluorescence studies probe the interactions between a dye and another molecule that is introduced in the system to quench the fluorescence of the dye. The time scale over which quenching occurs provides critical information about the system under study. For instance, the low quenching rate of a dye located in the hydrophobic pocket of a macromolecule by a water-soluble quencher demonstrates that the interior of the hydrophobic pocket is highly viscous locally and that the macromolecule could be used as a delivery vehicle for the slow release of hydrophobic drugs. Different TRFs are used to probe different time scales of quenching. The quenching processes targeted by this application are rapid occurring over a few tens of picoseconds. Such fluorescence experiments require the use of a fast TRF (fTRF). Because a fTRF can be employed by scientists and engineers with varied expertise, the requested fTRF is expected to serve the broad research community at the University of Waterloo. The research projects that will be conducted in this proposal include the study of porphyrin constructs that undergo the same antenna effect taking place in the leaves of plants, the flexibility of dendrimers used for drug delivery, the solution behavior of polymers used in paints or super absorbents, the characterization of inorganic quantum dots, the efficiency of organic electronics, the interactions between DNA and quantum dots, and the self-organization of peptides with antibiotic activity in lipid membranes.
