Propoal for End of Year Project

Syntheses and Modification of a novel Chromophore for Identifying the Golgi Apparatus in a Biological System

James Deininger, Eric Fisher, and Michael McNichol
Kent State University Biophotonics Class


| Introduction |

In the field of Biophotonics chromophore molecules are utilized in a variety of applications. chromophores are molecules that produce color when they absorb a specific wavelength of light. They are used to bind to specific proteins, or cells in the human body. Presently, scientists can use chromophores in order to study specific parts of a system. Researchers at Harvard University have recently used chromophores to map neurons in a mouse brain. Additionally, researches at Stanford University use chromophores for single-molecular imaging techniques. Research in the area of chromophores is expanding rapidly which is why further research and investigation of these molecules will be beneficial. In order to better understand the topics learned in biophotonics an investigation of chromophores will be conducted.



| Proposal |

Research a specific chromophore that targets golgi organelles and synthetically modify a specific functionality of the chromophore. For example and chromophore with a pi conjugated system 10 carbons long may be modifying to a pi conjugated system 9 carbons long.



| Experimental Procedure |

A) Synthesize a chromophore similar to DCDHFs synthesized in the Biophotonics Lab

1)Search on SciFinder for chromophores that can be easily synthesized
2)Possible modify a DCDHF or chromophore that has been previously synthesized, or synthesize a new chromophore
3) Use NMR, DSC, FTIR to confirm purity of final compound

B) Use CHC as a system to observe the synthesized chromophores

1)Use a variety of different microscopes to observe the cells such as confocal
2) Determine what the chromophore binds to in the cell by using techniques explored in biophotonics lab.

C) If time permits, use the Flourimeter to measure the fluorescence of the excited molecule.

1)Try to identify specific fluorescence bands that may relate to the structure of the known molecule
2)Use other techniques to measure the fluorescence of the molecule that were not utilized in Biophotonics.

D) Look at all the data together and try to make conclusions

1) Present conclusions and findings to class