MRI: Track 1 Acquisition of a Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-flight Mass Spectrometer for Analysis of Macromolecules

This award is funded by the Major Research Instrumentation Program and the Chemistry Research Instrumentation Program. Professor Geneviève Sauvé from Case Western Reserve University, on behalf of 15 investigators from 8 departments across the university, is acquiring a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer (MALDI-TOF MS).

This instrument will enable a wide range of innovative and transformative research activities that depend upon a soft ionization mass spectroscopic technique with a large mass range, including analysis of fragile macromolecules, complex biomaterials and synthetic polymers. This instrument will strengthen the research infrastructure at the university and surrounding areas.

It will improve recruitment and retention of the best students and faculty members. The instrument broadens participation by enabling new projects for a diverse student population, including economically disadvantaged high-school students from the Cleveland area. It will also advance education and training of diverse students at all levels and postdoctoral fellows.

This award empowers innovative and transformative research activities across a wide variety of disciplines impacting fundamental STEM areas ranging from materials-energy research to the study of problems at the chemical biology interface. The detailed characterization of macromolecules provided by the new instrument are difficult to achieve by other techniques or equipment available to CWRU scholars.

The instrument will lead to the development of new knowledge in areas including: pi-conjugated materials, nonlinear optical materials, fluorescent polymer brushes, graphynes, bioinspired nanomaterials, imaging and contrasting agents, functionalized gas-core nanoparticles, biomolecules with targeted surface-adhesive properties, tissue engineered products, DNA nanostructures, regulation of cellular processes, understanding chemical damage of RNA/DNA by sensitizers, and elucidating molecular mechanisms of the estrogen receptor alpha protein. This knowledge will enable and accelerate research that will benefit society, with practical applications including: printed optoelectronic devices such as photovoltaics and light emitting diodes, artificial blood surrogates to address shortages for blood transfusion, ways to protect RNA/DNA from photodamage, stable DNA nanostructures with programmable therapeutic properties, new brush copolymers to revolutionize cataract surgery, novel molecules that will revolutionize detection and treatment of cancer, enhanced MRI contrast agents, and improved engineered cartilage quality.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.