Award Abstract #0303442
NER: Directed Microelectronic Interfacing with Living Cells via Nanocrystal Quantum Dots

NSF Org:	CBET Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems
Initial Amendment Date:	June 25, 2003
Latest Amendment Date:	June 25, 2003
Award Number:	0303442
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	Fred G. Heineken CBET Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems ENG Directorate for Engineering
Start Date:	July 1, 2003
Expires:	June 30, 2004 (Estimated)
Awarded Amount to Date:	$100000
Investigator(s):	Christine Schmidt schmidt@che.utexas.edu (Principal Investigator) Brian Korgel (Co-Principal Investigator)
Sponsor:	University of Texas at Austin P.O Box 7726 Austin, TX 78713 512/471-6424
NSF Program(s):	NANOSCALE: EXPLORATORY RSRCH, BIOCHEMICAL & BIOMASS ENG
Field Application(s):	0308000 Industrial Technology
Program Reference Code(s):	BIOT, 9181, 1676
Program Element Code(s):	1676, 1402

ABSTRACT

0303442

Schmidt

This proposal was received in response to Nanoscale Science and Engineering initiative, NSF 02-148, category NER. The objectives of this proposal are to develop and characterize an exploratory system integrating microelectronic device technology and semiconductor quantum dots interfaced with living neurons via specific receptors on the cell surface. These nanometer-scale devices could be used to treat receptor and neurotransmitter based diseases (e.g., Parkinson's), as well as to produce entirely new kinds of bio-electronic devices (e.g., neural memory circuits). Semiconductor quantum dots (qdots) typically range between 2 and 10 nm in diameter and when surface-passivated, they can be dispersed in a variety of solvents, including aqueous environments. These electronic materials possess unique optical and electrical properties due to their small size. When excited, they display increased dipole moments, electron transfer, and thermal interactions, as compared to bulk materials. The qdots can be surface-functionalized with various molecular recognition molecules (e.g., peptides and antibodies) and their high fluorescence quantum yield (brightness) facilitates the investigation of qdot-cell receptor attachment. The qdot-cell device will serve as a first generation receptor-scale prosthetic. Subsequent devices will be designed to interact with specific ion channels. In the future, receptor-based devices could provide local treatment to individual ion channels causing them to increase or decrease productivity, thus providing another treatment option for receptor-based diseases.

Please report errors in award information by writing to: awardsearch@nsf.gov.