Planning Visit to the National Institute of Materials Science, Japan; To Establish Collaborative Research on Nanoscale Adsorption of Amyloid Beta Peptides

Suny College At Geneseo, Geneseo NY

Investigators

Abstract

The PI's research group at the State University of New York College at Geneseo discovered that the alpha-beta coated gold metal colloid exhibits a quasi-repetitive color change between pH 4 and pH 10, in which a short-lived intermediate of the self assembly created only at an interfacial condition was involved. In this collaborative project, the conformation of alpha-beta aggregates binding to the functionalized gold colloid surface will be directly investigated by utilizing high-resolution transmission electric microscopy at Japan's National Institute of Materials Science, in order to directly clarify the structure at a nanometer scale. This study will answer 1) why the observed pH induced quasi-reversible process takes place only for 20 nm gold colloid and 2) why an effective cage-like conformation of alpha-beta is observed at only 40 and 80 nm gold colloid. Results could lead to the development of highly selective biosensors and have a long term biomedical engineering impact in the areas of cancer treatment and nanomedicine. This project is the preparatory stage for a long-term international research collaboration in which top notch American undergraduates will gain international research experience and be exposed to innovative biomedical engineering technology.