Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy (SECM) is useful because it probes the chemical or biochemical activity of a surface. It does so by measuring a current at a sensor that is moved towards or over a sample using precise positioners. This specific detection method can detect small concentrations of compounds being absorbed or released from cancer cells. To apply SECM to live cell studies, cells have to be immobilized on a solid support. The sensor is positioned non-invasively a few microns above it. The cells are then stimulated by a chemical to release compounds that can directly be detected by SECM. From such measurements and using numerical simulations, the rates of transport and kinetic parameters related to these events can be extracted Our research program is divided in three research areas that apply electrochemistry to three different biological problems. 1. The relation between oxidative stress and the development of Multidrug Resistance in cancer cells. 2. The transport of compounds through specially activated proteins found in human cancer cells. 3. The development of cell wires used to electrochemically study cell communication. The outcome of this work is important because it will increase our understanding of multidrug resistance, this phenomena is responsible for serious secondary effects of chemotherapy. It will also increase our understanding of non-selective pumps and ion channels that are desirable pharmaceutical targets since they mediate transport to and from the cell and its environment. The development of new drug targets and diagnostic tests involving ion channels are expected to be fast growing markets in the years to come.