BICAL · Biological and chemical applications of lasers

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Project objective

The excellent technology and expertise in spectroscopy available at LENS opens up the opportunity for novel studies of biological and chemical processes. We have developed instruments for single molecule manipulation (optical tweezers and a novel magneto-o ptical apparatus for direct measurements of torque) and fluorescence detection to study biochemical processes at the single molecule level. Techniques have also been developed for high-resolution imaging of cellular substructures and whole living cells. Th e acquisition of knowledge and technical skills in biochemistry and cell biology will allow the most effective application of these technologies to outstanding biological and biomedical problems. The high time resolution study of chemical processes will be extended realizing an experimental apparatus, based on laser systems already available at LENS, which will allow the application of bi-dimensional coherent infrared spectroscopy to the field of fast molecular processes in simple and complex molecular liqu ids and solutions. Chemical processes occurring in gas phase will be studied with imaging techniques. We plan to extend the capability of our facility with the construction of a new detection setup for the imaging of charged particles (ions and electrons) produced by laser ionization experiments. This will produce an extremely detailed picture of the dynamics of chemical reactions allowing the measurement of the angular distribution and the distribution of kinetic and vibrational energy within the different fragments after the molecular dissociation. In each of the mentioned applications, the combination of technologies, skill and know-how currently present at LENS and knowledge acquired within the proposed action will promote the development of new and extr emely relevant areas of research at our institute, at the level of excellence which distinguish it from its foundation in 1991.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

• LABORATORIO EUROPEO DI SPETTROSCOPIA NONLINEARE · SESTO FIORENTINOCoordinatorCity levelItaly
• CORNELL UNIVERSITY · ITHACAUnited States
• UNIVERSITAET ZUERICH · ZURICHCity levelSwitzerland
• UNIVERSITEIT LEIDEN · LEIDENNetherlands
• UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · LA JOLLA, CA 92093-0346Country levelUnited States
• UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT HEALTH CENTER · FARMINGTON CTCountry levelUnited States
• WILLIAM MARSH RICE UNIVERSITY · HOUSTONUnited States

Links

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