This application requests funds for the purchase of a Biacore 1100 surface plasmon resonance (SPR) instrument for measuring molecular interactions in real time. There is currently no comparable instrument on the UCLA campus so the new instrument will significantly enhance the local SPR capabilities. The most similar instrument to the T100 on campus is a Biacore 3000, which is a step down in terms of time resolution, automation and software. Moreover, the Biacore 3000 is only accessible to outside users a mere 6-8 hours per week, which is not sufficient. Consequently most of the primary users have been using the more readily accessible Biacore X, which has even more reduced capabilities, particularly for weak and low molecular weight interactions and has no automation. The T100 will replace the Biacore X, which is housed in the Biochemistry Instrumentation facility. The salary of the facility manager is supplied by the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at UCLA, and basic operating costs are borne by the UCLA-DOE laboratory. In addition to this basic institutional support, the UCLA Dean of Life Sciences has committed $78,660 for the purchase of an extended warranty, which will largely ensure the smooth operation of the instrument for at least a 5 year period. Like the existing Biacore X, we plan to make the T100 available to anyone needing SPR in their work. The facility manager will be responsible for daily maintenance and scheduling. In the unlikely event of severe disputes or other maintenance issues, they will be resolved by an advisory committee consisting of three of the primary users. The Biacore X has been in operation for the past 7 years, so considerable expertise has developed in SPR. We also plan to arrange for additional, T100 specific training, for all the primary users and other interested parties. Continued training will be conducted by the Facility manager, both through individual sessions and through a graduate course on biophysical techniques. Consequently, the T100 will be immediately productive and significantly and broadly advance the research effort on the UCLA campus. Public Health Relevance: To understand the molecular basis of disease and to design effective therapeutic intervention, it is essential to be able to carefully measure how biological molecules interact. SPR is an extremely important technique for measuring these interactions ? ?
