PROPOSAL NO.: CTS-0439722 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS: A. T. CONLISK INSTITUTION: OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
Transient Biomolecular Transport in Nanochannels with applications to Biosensing
The goal of this research program is to model the unsteady transport of a charged biomolecule in a charged-wall nanochannel. Objectives include: modeling the entry of a biomolecule into a circular pore and its subsequent transport through the pore, and also developing a model for surface binding of a specific analyte. The flow will be driven electroosmotically and the current density due to this unsteady process will be calculated and compared with existing experimental data. The work is novel because there is a dearth of biomolecular transport models that account for the size of the biomolecule when it is of the order of the channel dimension. Hindered diffusion analysis and excluded volume effects will be used for this purpose. The proposed work is high-risk because this modeling effort requires significant experimental data to identify the binding constants, and the natural ion channels (which have dimensions on the order of one to three nanometers) may require a combination of continuum and molecular models to properly describe these events. Given the importance of nanoscale flows, a basic understanding of fluid and biomolecular transport at this scale is therefore critical in developing new devices capable of detecting, identifying and manipulating complex biomolecules at the single molecule level. The intellectual merit of this work is to: (1) create new and fundamental knowledge of the transport of ionic species and biomolecules in electrokinetic flow at the nanoscale, ultimately to guide design of biodevices for transport and sensing. (2) Create new analytical and computational models of the transport of biomolecules confined in nanoscale geometries to support rapid analytical techniques and improve the effectiveness of biomolecular sensing. The broader impacts of this work will include advancing discovery and understanding while promoting teaching and learning, broadening the participation of underrepresented groups, and broad dissemination of results for the enhancement of scientific and technical understanding. The PI is actively involved in developing new courses on nanofluidics at Ohio State as well as professional society meetings. This work will broaden the participation of underrepresented groups and undergraduates in research.
