With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program, Professor Sergei Dzyuba from Texas Christian University and colleagues Jean-Luc Montchamp, Onofrio Annunziata and Youngha Ryu will acquire an isothermal titration calorimeter. The award will enhance research training and education at all levels, especially in areas such as (a) functional nanogels based on poly(vinyl alcohol)-ligand complexation, (b) non-hydrolyzable phosphinic DNA analogues, (c) determination of interactions within supramolecular polymer networks, (d) ionic liquid-assisted gelation of organic solvents, and (e) preparation of thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP) analogues and evaluation of their binding affinity to the TPP riboswitch.
Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) is a very sensitive thermodynamic technique that is used to characterize binding interactions between species such as those between a small molecule and an enzyme. ITC measures directly the heat absorbed or released during a binding process. This provides insight on the strength of chemical and biochemical binding interactions. The calorimeter will also be incorporated into several upper division level laboratory classes at Texas Christian University but it will also be accessible to neighboring institutions such as Texas Woman's University, UT-Arlington, University of North Texas and the UNT Health Science Center. This instrument will be used not only in research but also in educational and outreach activities.
Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) is a technique that is used to determine the thermodynamic parameters of a particular process in solution. These parameters are critical for understanding various chemical and biological phenomena. ITC is one of the key instruments for investigating numerous interactions, including those between (i) small molecules and larger macromolecules such as DNA, enzymes, and proteins, which have implications for drug discovery and design, (ii) ionic species and synthetic/biological receptors, which are crucial for separation and sensing applications, and (iii) organic molecules and metallic nanoparticles, which are important for the design of new materials. The main advantage of this instrument over other types of instrumentation is that ITC allows one to evaluate binding interactions in a variety of solvents without the need to introduce a label onto one of the interacting species, which could in principle, perturb the native binding interactions. The ITC instrument in the Department of Chemistry at Texas Christian University has been used for research and educational activities by investigating host-guest interactions in the broadest sense. Specifically, the groups of the PI and the co-PIs have used this instrument to investigate phenomena involved in the interactions of small molecules with synthetic and biological polymers as well as various interactions in room-temperature ionic liquids, which are tunable solvents that are composed entirely of ions. To date, one manuscript was published, and several other manuscripts are in various stages of preparation for publication. A number of graduate students in the groups of the PI and co-PIs have performed experiments using the instrument over the past three years. The obtained results have constituted some portions of their dissertation work. Undergraduate researchers have also been exposed to ITC, and have implemented this instrument into their research activities. Notably, several undergraduate students have co-authored a research manuscript that utilized ITC to evaluate the interactions between porphyrins and synthetic polymers. In regard to teaching activities, the faculty members in the department have developed laboratory experiments for the undergraduate laboratories, and one experiment has already been implemented into the curriculum. Notably, ITC-based experiments are rarely encountered in the undergraduate curriculum. The ITC-based laboratory provided the students with a hands-on experience and allowed them to connect theoretical knowledge with real-life applications. Overall, within the grant period, the ITC instrument has been successfully implemented into creative research and pedagogical activities, and it has become one of the integral pieces of the departmental instrumentation infrastructure. The PI and co-PIs as well as their group members will continue to utilize the ITC experiments in their research and will further expand the implementation of ITC-related experiments into the undergraduate curriculum.
