This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).
With this award from the Major Research and Instrumentation (MRI) program, Professor Paramjit S. Arora, James W Canary and Michael D Ward will acquire a MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometer. The instrument will be used in a large number of research projects, for example: a) the design of synthetic helices as inhibitors of protein-protein interactions; b) structural DNA nanotechnology; c) reaction pathways of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species with DNA; d) charge transfer interactions in crystals and their relevance to MALDI mass spectrometry; e) the structure of the backbone in unfolded proteins; f) protein mimetics - synthesis of macromolecular sequence-specific heteropolymers; g) bioaffinity interactions and microarray technologies; and, h) design, synthesis and photophysical properties of photosynthetic model systems.
A MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometer (matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization - time of flight mass spectrometer system) is used to identify the chemical composition of a sample by measuring the mass of the molecular constituents in the sample after they are ionized and detected by the mass spectrometer. The MALDI method provides a soft ionization method for producing ions from large molecules and biomolecules with less complication than when more energetic ionization protocols are employed. The TOF feature is an analysis technique that separates the ions based on their masses after they are produced. The instrument will provide structural and compositional characterization for a core group of faculty users, as well as the teaching and undergraduate/graduate student research programs, in the NYU Department of Chemistry and the Polytechnic Institute of NYU.
Mass spectrometry is one of the fastest growing analytical methods used by chemists in a variety of sub-disciplines, ranging from nanotechnology, chemical biology, polymer chemistry and organic chemistry. The instrument (Bruker Ultraflex Extreme MALDI-TOF) provides a key boost to the research and training infrastructure at NYU by expanding its biological and synthetic polymer characterization capabilities, enhancing the training of its students and postdocs, and exposing numerous researchers to advanced mass spectrometry methods. The instrument has enhanced research in a number of important scientific areas, including (i) structure-based design of RNA binding ligands and RNA-proteomimetic recognition; (ii) synthesis of new protein mimetics with unusual properties; (iii) construction of carbohydrate oligomer mimetic libraries for discovery of artificial ligands for binding to proteins and cell surfaces; (iv) synthesis of chiro-optic switches; (v) mechanisms of reaction of nucleic acids with reactive radical intermediates and development of methods for the identification of site-specific DNA oxidation products ; (vi) characterization of multifunctional polymers and (vii) synthesis of photoactive fullerene derivatives. The instrument was installed in August 2010. Between September 1, 2010 and December 31, 2012, the equipment was in use for 1489 hours. Of the 86 users, 49 were graduate students, 10 were undergraduates, 21 were postdoctoral research associates, and 6 were faculty/staff. Over 100 research trainees participated in this project. The instrument will continue to serve the NYU community, providing rich opportunities for training and research for years into the future.
