Nanoparticles Enabled Dual-Fluorescence Modulation: A New Method for Reliably Detecting Biomolecular Recognitions

Washington State University, Pullman WA

Investigators

Abstract

The Analytical and Surface Chemistry (ASC) program of the Division of Chemistry will support the research program of Prof. Alexander Li of Washington State University. The essence of this project is to design and synthesize novel polymer nanoparticles, whose red-fluorescence signal can be modulated using external light pulses so that it has amplitude and a phase. When the nanoparticle recognizes the analyte associated with a green-fluorescence donor, fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) will propagate the modulation from the nanoparticle to the green fluorescence donor, whose signal will be in turn modulated at the same frequency, unambiguously confirming interactions. This study will provide a new analytical method that dramatically improves the statistical confidence of fluorescence detection, including fluorescence imaging, fluorescence sensors and fluorescence-based quantitative analyses. It will provide excellent educational training opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral trainees in the use of advanced spectroscopic methods in quantitative bioassays.