Center of Excellence in NanoBiophysics

The Center of Excellence in NanoBiophysics supports faculty and students across the university in the study of molecular nano-assembly, structures and functions. Housed in the Dornsife College, the Center is used by research programs in structural biology, nanotechnology, anomedicine, molecular biology, biochemistry, and materials sciences.

While the scope of research supported by the Center is wide and diverse, the majority of the activity focuses on fundamental problems of nanobiology, structural biology, and molecular medicine. For example, the core has supported studies that examine biomolecule and drug interactions, by determining X-ray atomic structures, characterizing the thermodynamics and kinetics, and understanding the nanoscale molecular assembly and disassembly.

We currently have resources to study molecular and nanostructures with Biacore surface plasmon resonance instrument T100; Light Scattering Equipment, both Dynamic and Multiangle devices from Wyatt; a Spectrofluorometer QuantaMaster 4 from PTI with near-IR capabilities, and time-resolved accessory; an Atomic Force Microscope Nanoscope IIIa; a Synergy H4 Hybrid Multi-Mode Microplate Reader; a CD Spectrometer J-815 from Jasco; a MicroMax™-007 and two R-AXIS IV++ from Rigaku; a ICON AFM from Bruker; a MicroCal PEAQ-ITC from Malvern and a Typhoon FLA 9500 biomolecular imager from GE.

The Facility serves the USC scientific community from both campuses and also outside customers given availability of the instruments’ time. It provides professional collaborations, one-on-one and group training. Please see Rates and Contact for details.

Scheduling is done via email to the Manager. Priority is generally on a first-scheduled first-served basis, with some exceptions for prepaid services, see Schedule and Rates for details.

The ITC training was held on Oct. 14-15th, 2015. Dr. Muneera Beach gave the presentation in USC.

Synergy H4 Hybrid Multi-Mode Microplate Reader training by scientists from BioTek was held on Jan. 9th, 2013. Manual and presentations are available here. SynergyH4__Demo, Synergy H4 Applications and Gen5™ Getting Started Guide.

NanoBiophysics Core seminar on 01/30/13: “Absolute Macromolecular Characterization of Proteins Using Light Scattering and Related Techniques” by Dr. Andy Meyer from Wyatt Technology Corporation in RRI 101.

Nikolas Chelyapov speaks about the NanoBiophysics Core Facility at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Watch his presentation.