CAREER: Gated Conical Nanopores

Indiana University, Bloomington IN

Investigators

Abstract

Professor Lane A. Baker of Indiana University is supported by the Analytical and Surface Chemistry CAREER Program in the Division of Chemistry to study the mechanisms for gating synthetic conical nanopore membranes, and to develop a sensing paradigm based on pore blocking by nanoparticles with specifically designed surface chemistries. The idea is that analytes bound to the nanoparticles will be coupled with magnetic particles and magnetic fields will be used to dislodge the entire particle assembly from the nanopores, resulting in flow of electrolytes and change in the current, thereby providing the basis for analyte detection. Accurate, rapid and sensitive detection and quantization of small, often transient, concentrations of chemical and biochemical species in a dynamic environment is a challenge in analytical chemistry. Developing new strategies for detection of analytes at low concentrations is an important contribution to the fields of analytical chemistry, electrochemistry, nanotechnology and biotechnology. Graduate and undergraduate students will be trained in state-of-the-art analytical techniques, and an outreach program will be implemented involving visual learning concepts and information dissemination using video conferencing in coordination with podcasting technology.