Nanobiotechnology and its Applications

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Nanobiotechnology and its Applications

• Chris Wright
• Nick DSouza
• Kyle Ramirez

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What is Nanobiotechnology?

• Biotechnology is the application of technological
  innovation as it pertains to biological and life
  sciences.

Nanobiotechnology incorporates biotechnology on
the nano-scale.
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Introduction

• Size Ranges of Biological Material
• Cells 100um 10um
• Cell organelles (nucleus, mitochondrion) 10um
  1um
• Viruses 100nm- 50nm
• Cell material (proteins, lipids, DNA, RNA) 10nm
  0.1nm

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Introduction

• Nanobiotechnology is an emerging field
• cells discovered 1665
• electron microscope 1950s
• Watson and Crick discover DNA double helix 1953
• Mapping of Human Genome 2003
• Where is nanobiotechnology going? Applications?
• Cell structure and physiology
• Virus Detection
• Radiation/Chemotherapy
• Drug delivery
• Neurological functions of the brain
• Biomedical engineering research
• Study of molecular behavior
• Utilization of imaging devices

http//www.jnanobiotechnology.com/home
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Brain-Machine Interface

• Brain-machine interface (BMI) is a fabricated
  system to interpret voluntary brain activity
  and convert to a mechanical movement

• PhysiologyElectrical signals in brain ? spinal
  cord ? skeletal muscle
• BMI needed for individuals withspinal cord
  injury, or Parkinsons disease

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Brain-Machine Interface

• Procedures involved1) mapping of brain target
  specific neurons2) electrode implantation 3)
  signal acquisition 4) wireless transmission5)
  signal processing 6) mechanical action

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Study of DNA

• DNA molecules, under the influence of an electric
  field, are forced through nano-scale channels
  (100 nm) on a gel biochip. The molecules
  deform and stretch to pass through the small
  channels.

• This process separates DNA fragments by length.
  This is part of the method used to sequence the
  DNA in the human genome and in identifying a
  unique DNA fingerprint.

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Nanomechanical Oscillator

• A nano-scale cantilevered beam can be used to
  detect the presence of viruses and bacteria and
  find their masses.

• The beam can be coated with antibodies specific
  to a particular virus and then put into a
  substance to attract that virus. The oscillation
  of the beam can then be measured and compared to
  the oscillation before exposure to the substance.

http//www.hgc.cornell.edu/biomems.html
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Problem

• A nano-scale cantilevered beam is placed in a
  solution, which is known to contain E. coli
  bacterium. The beam is removed with a sample of
  E. coli bacterium attached to it. The frequency
  of vibration is measured and compared to the
  frequency before it was exposed to the E. coli.
  How many individual cells of E. coli bacterium
  are on the beam?

Given wo,before 1.091 MHz mE. coli cell 665
x 10-15 grams wo,after 1.070 MHz mbeam
365 x 10-10 grams
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Imaging Devices

• Atomic Force
• Microscopy (AFM)

• Scanning Tunneling
• Microscopy (STM)

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Imaging Devices

• AFM and STM are used for better resolution of
  nano-particles.
• Analysis includes bacteria and protein structure,
  force measurements within particles, and
  virus-host interactions.

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Imaging Devices

• West-Nile Study

• AFM has become the main source of imaging for
  analysis of virus-host interactions.
• A study involving the West-Nile virus gave a more
  detailed view of the stages the virus goes
  through during infection.
• The images produced reveal changes in plasma and
  viral budding this is essential for tracking
  down the virus replication methods.

http//www.jnanobiotechnology.com/content/2/1/6
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Problem

• An STM is used to analyze a virus sample. A
  350mV potential is applied across the tungsten
  tip (work function of 4.8eV) and the surface of
  the sample. If the tunneling probability is 10-8,
  what is the tunneling current that results? As
  the tip is moved across the surface the current
  increases by 50mA. What is the resulting
  tip-to-sample separation, and what effect does
  this have on the tunneling probability?

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Given T10-8 V350mV F4.8eV m9.110-31
kg

• Solve for electric field, E
• From there obtain tip-to-sample separation, d
• Tunneling current involves a decay constant, k.
  determine this constant from virus mass and work
  function, F.
• Now solve for current.
• Make sure units are correct so that they cancel
  out properly.

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Questions???