[BNC-all] Monday Memo -- July 30, 2007

[Deborah Starewich]

MONDAY MEMO, July 30, 2007
 
 
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1. Announcements
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1.1:  Birck named FACILITY OF THE YEAR:  Controlled Environments
(www.cemag.us <http://www.cemag.us> ) has awarded the BNC recognition as
FACILITY OF THE YEAR, ³The Birck Nanotechnology Center is designed for
interdisciplinary, collaborative research. The goals established for
Purdue¹s Birck Nanotechnology Center were daunting. The program called for
25,000 square feet of cleanroom with very stringent operating parameters.
Purdue University partnered with HDR Architecture, Inc. and created an
environment of collaboration that engaged all parties by stimulating
creativity at all levels. One of the most valuable aspects of the building
is its flexibility. The adaptable configuration of the cleanroom suite, the
full sub-fab, and the accessibility of the systems will allow the building
to be reconfigured as necessary to serve forms and techniques of research in
the future. The Birck Nanotechnology Center truly breaks new ground in the
scope and quality of the environment it promises to make available.²
 
1.2:  BIO Mid-America Venture Forum, September 24-26, 2007; Milwaukee,
Minnesota.  A Midwest conference where bioscience, biofuel, and medical
device companies from across the country are show cased together.  For more
information, visit bma.bio.org
 
 
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2. Seminars
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2.1:  Tuesday, 07.31, 4:00, BRK 1001:  ³Micro-scaled Biochips with Optically
Active Surfaces for Near and  Far-field Analysis of Cellular Fluorescence,²
by Huw Summers, PhD, Senior Lecturer, Cardiff University, School of Physics
and Astronomy, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
 
ABSTRACT:  The integration of thin (< 100 nm) metal films with micro-scale
optical waveguides provides a route to controlled spatial excitation of
cellular fluorescence within a biochip platform.  Surface bound
electron-plasma oscillations (surface plasmon waves) interact with photons
to produce an evanescent field localized within 100nm of the chip surface.
These plasmon fields can therefore be used as a near-field probe of analytes
situated at the surface e.g. surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensing. If a
grating with sub-wavelength periodicity is fabricated at the surface then
coupling of the plasmons to free-space photons can be achieved and a highly
directional beam of light is produced.  We have been developing
surface-active biochips using these processes to provide selective
excitation in the near or far field of fluorescently-labeled cells. These
chips combine a number of commonly used techniques such as SPR, TIRF and
epi-fluorescence  within a single device and have the potential to provide
sub-cellular discrimination of excitation in 3-D.
 
BIO:  Dr. Summers is a biophotonics physicist, who among other things, works
on the UK Optical Biochip project designing small, micro-fluidic, optical
biochip cytometers. He is spending a mini-sabbatical with Dr. Leary at
Discovery Park during the month of July with collaborations to continue in
the coming year. 
 
 
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2. Birck Visitors
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2.1:  Tuesday, July 31, 3:30 to 4:30, BME Graduate Student Program visit
 
2.2:  Thursday, August 2, 1:15 to 2:45, PRF Entrepreneurship Academy visit
 
 
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3. Birck Tips
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3.1:  Ordering Supplies
 
Please note that all students from ECE and MSE should have access to SRM,
OnePurdue¹s on-line purchasing system.  If you need some help with getting
started, please contact Vikki Fast (BRK Business Office 63614, BRK 1010);
she will provide the necessary training.
 
If the clerical staff is asked to place an order, the requisition will be
submitted using the SRM system, when a purchase order is generated by
purchasing, the clerical staff member will send the order number to the
requestor.
 
If an order with a purchase number has not been received, please contact
Vikki Fast, who has been designated as Birck¹s contact with the purchasing
department; she will make the necessary inquiries.
 
By following these procedures, we should be able to reduce the number of
people involved when problems arise and, hopefully, will reduce any
confusion.
 
Please contact Stacy Brown (41619) or Deborah Starewich (43509) should you
have questions.


Deborah S. Starewich
Administrative Assistant to Timothy D. Sands, Director
Birck Nanotechnology Center
Purdue University

765-494-3509
dstarewi at ecn.purdue.edu

http://www.nano.purdue.edu/



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