Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

The aim of this proposal is to build a platform for simultaneous optical and electrical single-molecule detection through nanopore arrays. In recent years, the field of biological physics has seen many of its most exciting developments owing to the emergence of tools to probe individual molecular processes. Further advancement will require the implementation of new tools to circumvent the limitations imposed by current technologies. Among these, tools that combine force spectroscopy methods with other single-molecule techniques, in particular single molecule fluorescence detection, represent an important development when addressing increasingly complex biological questions. Another major advancement hinges on the increase in parallelism and throughput of single-molecule force spectroscopy measurements. The requested equipment will be capable of addressing these key challenges. This unique and versatile system will enable a broad range of single-molecule measurements currently not possible in Canada, such as parallel force spectroscopy on an array of solid-state nanopores for rapid characterization of intermolecular interactions. This requested equipment will be an ideal training tool, providing HQP with strong and multidisciplinary skill sets in a broad range of techniques and concepts from fluorescence microscopy, and nanofabrication to molecular biology. As such it will offer a unique opportunity for HQP to acquire valuable technical and scientific skills facilitating their transition to tomorrow's research and technology development environments in the fields of biophysics and biotechnologies. Overall, the requested system, by providing unique opportunities for addressing key challenges in single-molecule biophysics, will open the door to new and exciting possibilities for single-molecule techniques in the biomedical sciences.