Objective
Research objectives and content
Laser trapping is emerging as a powerful and promising tool to improve our knowledges in the fields of nanotribology, biophysics and material testing. With 'optical tweezers' we can expose single bonds under load . and test material properties of molecular structures in liquids over a force range centered in piconewtons. For instance, it is possible to study in a very direct way the processes of molecular adhesion between soft interfaces and measure in vivo the forces acting at molecular level in biological systems.
Project objectives
1) Development of advanced and flexible optical tweezer systems, a) to obtain high performances in the fields of forces sensoring, force mapping and material testing, b) to test different trapping geometries and configurations. 2) Development of a dedicated software to automatically control, programmeand monitor all the relevant parameters correlated to the trapping system, such laser power, laser focus, fine movements of the trap in 3D-space, sub-nanometer probe positioning-system, image acquisition system. 3) Improvement of an innovative method of surface characterization, based on the measurement of the friction between microprobes held by the laser trap (for example micrometer sized polystiren beads functionalized with chosen molecules) and the sample (cell surface, functionalized thin films, surfaces with special coatings). 4) Applications: mapping of cell receptors to understand the functional significance of tumour-associated cell surface alterations; study of chemical/mechanical properties of artificial membranes and liposomes, characterization of surfaces with special coatings.
Training content (objective, benefit and expected impact)
From my Ph.D. research project I expect to acquire all the scientific training and the necessary technological knowledges to be competitive in the emerging fields of surface characterization and mapping, in vivo monitoring of biological processes at molecular level and nanotechnology. All these fields can be expected to be of increasing importance in the future, both at the level of foundamental research and at the level of applied high technology.
Links with industry / industrial relevance (22)
SL Microtest GmbH (Jena - Germany); Merck KGaA (Darmstadt - Germany); Boehringer Mannheim GmbH (Germany)
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences computer and information sciences software
- engineering and technology materials engineering coating and films
- natural sciences biological sciences biophysics
- natural sciences mathematics pure mathematics geometry
- natural sciences physical sciences optics laser physics
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Coordinator
93040 Regensburg
Germany
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.