Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectrometer

Giulivi, Cecilia

Abstract

The long-term goal of this proposal is to establish an Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) facility dedicated to biomedicine. The ESR Facility will address research at the interface between free radical biology/chemistry and medicine, a dynamic area that it has been intensifying extensively in the last 10 years. The Facility will be created on this vision and is designed to address the emerging research opportunities at the crossroad of multidisciplinary sciences. To this end, a multidisciplinary team of users and experts has been recruited from various Departments across Campus (Molecular Biosciences, Immunology &Microbiology, Biochemistry &Molecular Medicine, Biological Chemistry, Pulmonary &Critical Care, Mechanical &Aeronautical Engineering, and Nutrition), representing four different Colleges/Schools (Veterinary Medicine, Medicine, Agriculture, and Engineering) with interests in free radical medicine. Faculty will use this instrument to carry out research in several areas as follows: a) fundamental chemistry and biochemistry of antioxidants such as vitamin E, C and flavonoids;b) biochemistry of NO production in mosquito vectors of malaria parasites and the putative antiparasite role of nitrosylhemoglobin;c) role of the oxidation, S-nitrosation/S-glutathionylation in the ryanodine receptor type 1;d) nitric oxide as an important modulator of cell respiration and mediator of oxygen gradient redistribution;e) reactive oxygen and nitrogen radicals during caloric restriction and aging;f) copper and zinc deficiencies in free radical oxidations;g) radicals as markers of oxidative stress (e.g, ascorbyl, glutathionyl, and tocopheryl radicals);h) free radicals as initiators of apoptosis in neurons and neoplastic tissues;i) identification of bound radicals at the surface of nanoparticles, and how these affect health;j) free radicals in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion and temporary hypoxia. These studies will have an impact in a number of areas, from nanoscience to materials chemistry and biotechnology/biomedicine. This proposal requests the purchase of a state-of-the-art ESR spectrometer with capabilities for small, aqueous samples, cells, and tissue slices. By establishing such a Facility on Campus, we will provide the expertise and instrumentation to pursue research questions dealing with oxygen- and nitrogen-free radicals, carbon-centered radicals, related oxidants and antioxidants that influence the overall redox milieu of cells, tissues, and whole organisms. Biological relevant situations in which free radicals had been shown to play a critical role expand from signal transduction pathways to apoptosis, aging, diabetes, Alzheimer's, among other pathophysiological situations. Our primary goal is to advance the fundamental understanding of free radical biology/chemistry mechanisms so that human health can be improved through innovative approaches in the prevention and treatment of disease.

Public Health Relevance

This proposal requests the purchase of an ESR spectrometer with capabilities for small, aqueous samples, cells, and tissue slices. By establishing such a Facility on Campus, we will provide the expertise and instrumentation to pursue research questions relevant to human medicine. The proposed experiments that only could be done using an ESR deal with the characterization of oxygen- and nitrogen-free radicals in a variety of medically relevant situations from aging, ischemia-reperfusion, and dietary deficiencies to environmental exposures.