Intelectual merit

1. Biomagnetic glasses: preparation, characterization and biosensor applicationsLia A. Stanciu, Purdue University, DMR 0804464 Intelectual merit The goal of the project is to create a generic approach for the fabrication of biofunctional materials with magnetic capabilities, so called “biomagnetic glasses”, to be used in the design of highly stable, magnetically separable enzyme-based systems. We synthesized monodisperse Fe3O4 NPs and Fe3O4/m-silica. The particle size of Fe3O4 NPs and the silica shell are tunable. Acetyl Cholinesterase (AChE) was immobilized into the synthesized Fe3O4/m-silica and the pesticide paraoxon was detected. We have identified and well characterized the best configuration and relate the enzyme activity to the silica/MPs material used to fabricate the biomagnetic glass. The storage conditions of the enzyme modified material were determined. The (bio)functionalized magnetic glasses will further be used for creating sensitive and selective biomolecular enzyme sensors. . The inhibition curve of paraoxon by using immobilized AChE into Fe3O4/mesoporous silica core/shell nanoshperes. TEM images of a,b) Fe3O4/mesoporous silica core/shell nanospheres with 13 nm Fe3O4 core, and 5 and 20 nm silica shell, respectively. c,d) TEM image at high magnification and SEM image of b), respectively. The calibration curves of the immobilized AChE and the free AChE

2. Biomagnetic glasses: preparation, characterization and biosensor applications Lia A. Stanciu, Purdue University, DMR 0804464 Broader Impact The P.I. (Stanciu) incorporated information on the enzymatic biosensors into the Biomaterials Course she taught in the Spring Semester 2009. In addition to the involvement of the female graduate student in the research (Yu-Ho Won), arrangements were made for involvement of one female and one minority undergraduate student in the research in the Summer 2009. The female undergraduate student (Kimberly Schroeder) already started to perform research on the project on June 1st, 2009. She will work on the immobilization of horse radish peroxidase (HRP) onto the surface of the core-shell nanoparticles. The minority undergraduate student (Doreen Aboagye) was recruited from CUNY (City University of New York-a minority school) and will work on the project for 8 weeks during the summer, starting July 1st 2009. She is assisting the graduate student in experiments related to the detection of paraoxon using AChE immobilized onto the Fe3O4/SiO2 nanoparticles surface as a platform.