Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

We urgently request a nanoparticle tracking analysis system for the use in four major research programs at the University of Victoria (UVic). The instrument is of vital importance to research in drug encapsulation for the treatment of cancer and Alzheimer's, exosome studies for diagnosis and treatment, and nanoplastic detection for environmental health, and studies of droplet interface bilayers for artificial cell studies. In each of these research areas determination of nanoparticle size with high resolution in a non-destructive manner in dispersion is crucial. There is currently no nanoparticle tracking analysis instrument available at UVic that meets these research needs. The system for which funding is requested allows size determination of nanoparticle ensembles in dispersion through videographic tracking of light scattered off individual particles. It furthermore comes equipped with a fluorescence module that can determine loading of luminescent molecules into nanoparticles and exosomes, as a technique to verify loading efficacy. The fluorescence module can also be used to analyze luminescent biomolecules and characterize nanoplastics by adherence of fluorescent biomolecules to nanoplastics of interest. Other instruments in place at UVic used for sizing nanoparticles have strict limitations, such as electron microscopy, which cannot be used for real time measurement in dispersion and induces electron beam damage altering samples of interest during measurement, dynamic light scattering, which has lower resolution and sensitivity to the small particles of interest, and x-ray diffraction, which can only measure the size of crystalline samples out of dispersion. The system is expected to find widespread use in interdisciplinary research between three major departments: chemistry, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering. It will be housed in a campus building that is central to these three departments and will be managed and made available publicly available through CAMTEC, a booking and instrument management system in place at UVic, ensuring maximum usage. All applicants have demonstrated excellence in research and management, as well as extensive training of HQP. An average of 25 HQP is expected to use the instrument on a weekly basis in ongoing and future research projects of the applicants. HQP trained on this instrument will attain valuable skills, highly sought after by medical and green industries. The instrument will allow the HQP to perform globally impactful research with publication in high impact journal as well, giving them critical skills to succeed as scientists in chemistry and engineering. The instrument is specifically chosen for its ease of use to allow equitable use of the instrument by all users. The applicants adhere to strong EDI guidelines of the university and have recruiting practices in place to attract and train a diverse user-base.