Award details

Spatially resolved fluorescence cross correlation spectroscopy for in situ molecular dynamics studies in cells

Reference	REI20549
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Dr David Berk
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors	Professor Caroline Dive, Professor Kenneth Thomas Douglas, Professor Timothy Edward Hardingham, Professor Martin Humphries, Dr Alain Pluen, Professor Ian Stratford, Professor Nicola Tirelli
Institution	The University of Manchester
Department	Manchester Pharmacy School
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	150,000
Status	Completed
Type	Research Grant
Start date	20/07/2004
End date	31/01/2005
Duration	7 months

Abstract

We propose to create a facility for quantifying molecular interactions in living biological samples. The requested equipment, a combination laser-scanning confocal microscope and fluorescence cross-relation spectroscopy (FCS) instrument, provides a number of novel methods to measure molecular interactions within complex biological structures (e.g., within single living cells, multicellular tissues, and extracellular matrices). The primary use of the instrument will be to perform FCS measurements within biological structures, where selection of the region to be probed requires the high imaging resolution and optical sectioning capability of confocal microscopy. The FCS technique is uniquely suited for measuring concentration and mobility of probe molecules at extremely low concentrations. The secondary use of the instrument will be to perform other measurements of molecular interactions using specialised software for FRAP (fluorescence photobleaching) and FRET (resonance energy transfer). The facility will be housed in the new Integrative Centre for Molecular Cell Biology (ICMCB) building, now under construction, which provides a focus for multidisciplinary research by staff from the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, and other collaborations within the chemistry, physics and life science research communities. The instrument will be used to address eight named projects that focus on (1) development of novel fluorescent probes, and (2) novel applications of FCS to probe single cells and tissue models with high (micron to sub-micron) spatial resolution. The applicants provide proven expertise in the following areas: rational design of drug and probe molecules, biophysics and optical methods for measuring transport and reaction kinetics; and application of technology for ground breaking biological research. This facility will promote deeper collaboration among the named applicants, who will be all be relocating from disparatelaboratories into the ICMCB within the next year, and it will also serve as a focus for further interaction with other investigators in various fields.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Biochemistry & Cell Biology (BCB)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	Research Equipment Initiative 2003 (RE2) [2003]
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

I accept the terms and conditions of use (opens in new window)

export PDF file

back to list new search