Research Field
Cellular and Molecular Biophysics
Title
Circular Scanning Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy
Description
Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS) is an established method to
measure molecular mobilities and interactions in the field of Biophysics.
However, FCS measurements with a confocal microscope require an initial
calibration to determine the focal volume. Moreover, confocal
measurements on two-dimensional systems, like lipid bilayers, are very
sensitive to the positioning of the focus volume relative to the bilayer.
We circumvent the aforementioned issues by scanning the focus volume in
a circular fashion (circular scanning FCS). Thus, these measurements do not
require an initial calibration. We would like to apply circular scanning FCS
to precisely determine the diffusion coefficients of popular organic dyes
and lipids in free standing membranes over a wide range of temperatures.
The results are supposed to provide the community with reference
standards.
Depending on your competencies, interests and the status of the project
we will focus on one aspect of scanning FCS: You will either learn how to
construct a laser scanning microscope (and thereby learn how to align
optics), or program the control software (based on an existing setup,
programmed in LabVIEW). Moreover, you could design a chamber for
precise control of the temperature (CAD). Students proficient in lasers and
optics could also implement two-photon scanning FCS. If you are less
technical oriented, you could also employ the home-built microscope to
perform FCS measurements and thereby focus on sample handling and
analysis of the measurements.
Supervisor
Prof. Dr. Petra Schwille
Research Mentor
Philipp Blumhardt & Jonas Mücksch, PhD Students
Department
Max-Planck-Institute of Biochemistry
Cellular and Molecular Biophysics Group
Website
www.biochem.mpg.de/schwille/