QCM News, Publications and Events

Conferences

Biointerfaces International 2018

Biological surfaces are one of the most innovative and expanding areas of science: These biointerfaces represent surfaces where synthetic materials and biological systems interact with each other; with vast opportunities of groundbreaking development, discoveries and innovations. The Biointerfaces International 2018 conference at the Zurich University of Zurich in August 14-16, 2018 aims to connect relevant […]
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6 years ago
Dry-Wet Mass, Scientific Publications

Variations in Coupled Water, Viscoelastic Properties, and Film Thickness of a Mefp-1 Protein Film during Adsorption and Cross-Linking:  A Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation Monitoring, Ellipsometry, and Surface Plasmon Resonance Study

Abstract We have measured the time-resolved adsorption kinetics of the mussel adhesive protein (Mefp-1) on a nonpolar, methyl-terminated (thiolated) gold surface, using three independent techniques:  quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D), surface plasmon resonance, and ellipsometry. The QCM-D and ellipsometry data shows that, after adsorption to saturation of Mefp-1, cross-linking of the protein layer […]
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6 years ago
Dry-Wet Mass, Scientific Publications

Simultaneous determination of optical and acoustic thicknesses of protein layers using surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy and quartz crystal microweighing

Abstract The optical and the acoustic thicknesses of protein layers during adsorption were simultaneously determined by a combination of surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy and quartz crystal microweighing. Coupling of the surface plasmon was achieved by etching a diffraction grating into the quartz surface prior to the deposition of the metal electrode. The evolution of the […]
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6 years ago
QCM Theory, Scientific Publications

The Density and Refractive Index of Adsorbing Protein Layers

Abstract The structure of the adsorbing layers of native and denatured proteins (fibrinogen, γ-immunoglobulin, albumin, and lysozyme) was studied on hydrophilic TiO2 and hydrophobic Teflon-AF surfaces using the quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation and optical waveguide lightmode spectroscopy techniques. The density and the refractive index of the adsorbing protein layers could be determined from the […]
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6 years ago
QCM Theory, Scientific Publications

Formation of supported bacterial lipid membrane mimics

Abstract In recent years, a large effort has been spent on advancing the understanding of how surface-supported membranes are formed through vesicle fusion. The aim is to find simple model systems for investigating biophysical and biochemical interactions between constituents of cell membranes and, for example, drugs and toxins altering membrane function. Designing and controlling the […]
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6 years ago
QCM Theory, Scientific Publications

Elongation kinetics of polyglutamine peptide fibrils: a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation study.

Abstract Abnormally expanded polyglutamine domains in proteins are associated with several neurodegenerative diseases, including Huntington’s disease. Expansion of the polyglutamine (polyQ) domain facilitates aggregation of the affected protein, and several studies directly link aggregation to neurotoxicity. Studies of synthetic polyQ peptides have contributed substantially to our understanding of the mechanism of aggregation. In this report, […]
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6 years ago
QCM Theory, Scientific Publications

Attachment of Pathogenic Prion Protein to Model Oxide Surfaces

Abstract Prions are the infectious agents in the class of fatal neurodegenerative diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, which affect humans, deer, sheep, and cattle. Prion diseases of deer and sheep can be transmitted via environmental routes, and soil is has been implicated in the transmission of these diseases. Interaction with soil particles is expected […]
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6 years ago
Dry-Wet Mass, Scientific Publications

Fibronectin terminated multilayer films: protein adsorption and cell attachment studies

Abstract Electrostatically driven layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly is a simple and robust method for producing structurally tailored thin film biomaterials, of thickness ca. 10nm, containing biofunctional ligands. We investigate the LbL formation of multilayer films composed of polymers of biological origin (poly(L-lysine) (PLL) and dextran sulfate (DS)), the adsorption of fibronectin (Fn)–a matrix protein known to […]
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6 years ago
QCM Theory, Scientific Publications

Bioaffinity Sensor Based on Nanoarchitectonic Films

Bioaffinity Sensor Based on Nanoarchitectonic Films: Control of the Specific Adsorption of Proteins through the Dual Role of an Ethylene Oxide Spacer Abstract The identification and quantification of biomarkers or proteins is a real challenge in allowing the early detection of diseases. The functionalization of the biosensor surface has to be properly designed to prevent […]
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6 years ago
Dry-Wet Mass, Scientific Publications

Using Complementary Acoustic and Optical Techniques for Quantitative Monitoring of Biomolecular Adsorption at Interfaces

Abstract The great wealth of different surface sensitive techniques used in biosensing, most of which claim to measure adsorbed mass, can at first glance look unnecessary. However, with each technique relying on a different transducer principle there is something to be gained from a comparison. In this tutorial review, different optical and acoustic evanescent techniques […]
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6 years ago