This research, supported by the Analytical and Surface Chemistry Program, will develop global frequency domain methods to analyze spectroscopic data from fluorescent probes. The project, led by Professor Sharon L. Neal of the University of Delaware, is being conducted in three overlapping phases. In the first phase, a model independent analysis approach that was previously developed by Dr. Neal is used to study the photokinetics of fluorescent probes that exhibit complex excited state behavior. The second phase uses phase one results to investigate the photokinetics of charge transfer probes bound to serum protein. The third phase studies probe photokinetics of phospholipid vesicles and bicelles. When completed, this work will make a significant advance in fluorescent probe methodology by combining fluorescence techniques with the mathematical tools needed for data analysis. The result will be of value to scientists using these probes in fields such as NMR and studies of biophysical processes.
This project will use a model-independent mathematical technique to develop useful information from fluorescence spectroscopy data. As a result, the information that is obtained from fluorescence probe studies of materials, such as polymers and proteins, will be significantly improved.
