McGill.CA / Science / Department of Physics

Physical Society Colloquium

Special Physics-Chemistry Seminar

Addressing single molecular events using the atomic force microscope

Michel Grandbois

University of Missouri

Single molecule force spectroscopy, a new experimental approach that makes use of the atomic force microscope was recently developed to manipulate single molecule and to investigate the mechanical properties of individual polymer strands. Entropy elasticity, molecular rearrangement, covalent bond stretching and bending as well as covalent bond rupture where measured on the single molecule basis. We hav e also investigated the forces involved in molecular recognition events for syn- thetic and biological molecular pairs. The use of this new nanomanipulation technique in conventional discipline like biology, physics and chemistry offer us the prospect of new analytical tools that will certainly find use in basic research as well as in applied research.

Monday, February 5th 2001, 15:00 (Note special time)
Ernest Rutherford Physics Building, Keys Auditorium (room 112)