The Analytical and Surface Chemistry Program in the Division of Chemistry, with co-funding from the Instrumentation and Instrument Development Program in the Division of Biological Infrastructure, supports Prof. Darryl Bornhop of Vanderbilt University to enhance understanding and extend application of backscattering interferometry (BSI) to investigate molecular interactions that are difficult to study by other methods. Specifically, Dr. Bornhop's group is testing applicability of BSI for quantifying the influence of immobilization and structural modifications on molecular interaction binding affinity, and for studying interactions and chemical reactions in non-aqueous solvents.
Graduate and undergraduate students in the interdisciplinary Bornhop group will participate in the research, results of which will be disseminated via the Vanderbilt Student Volunteers for Science as well as by conventional means. By enabling study of molecular interactions in solution at physiological or biochemically relevant concentrations, and with nanoliter samples, this work will allow consideration of a wide array of biological and chemical problems previously considered intractable. Broad societal impact may result, including enabling of sub-micron scale synthesis.
