The goal of this research is to develop new and improved measurement techniques and models for the characterization and quantitation of molecules in biological processes and assays. Capabilities include Raman, UV‑visible, infrared, reflection, and fluorescence spectroscopy. The fluorescence capabilities include measurements using fluorometry, flow-cytometry, imaging, and time-resolved fluorescence. The spectroscopic methods are coupled with the molecular biology tools needed to solve important measurement problems. We are now conducting international comparison studies involving circular dichroism spectroscopic methods for the characterization of biopharmaceuticals as well as a pilot studies involving fluorescence measurements and quantitative PCR. These studies are a collaborative effort with the United Kingdom ’s National Physics Laboratory and LGC, and are being performed under the auspices of the Bioanalytical Working Group of the Consultative Committee for the Amount of Substance-Metrology in Chemistry(CCQM, BIPM). Additional spectroscopic/molecular biology applications include:
• The measurement of protein conformations and protein-protein, protein-ligand, and protein-surface interactions.
• The refinement of PCR measurements in order to provide metrological quality measurements for the detection and quantification of DNA in genetically-modified crops in grain and other foodstuffs, or pathogenic microbial DNA.
• The quantitation of total plant genomic DNA and the response of plant DNAs to DNA-binding fluorophores.
• The coupling of the spectroscopic measurements with electrochemical control of the molecular redox state to measure the thermodynamic properties of biomolecules.
Expertise
- Fluorescence spectroscopy
- Cytometer measurements
- Circular dichroism spectroscopy
- UV-vis spectrophotometry
- Raman spectroscopy
- IR spectroscopy
- Spectroelectrochemistry
- Spectroellipsometry measurements
- Microarray measurements
- Conjugation chemistry
- DNA extraction purification and sequencing
- Gel electrophoresis and chromatography
- Quantitative and qualitative PCR measurements
- Silicon quantum dots
Contacts
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