Acquisition of an Integrated Spectrofluorometry-Microscopy System to Advance Research and Education in Environmental Nanotechnology and Biomedical Sensing.

About This Grant

We request funding to acquire an Integrated Spectrofluorometry-Microscopy System (FS5), an advanced analytical instrument with capabilities for steady-state fluorescence, time-resolved measurements via Time-Correlated Single Photon Counting (TCSPC) and Multi-Channel Scaling (MCS), spectral mapping, fiber-optic coupling, and fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy. This system will be housed at the Department of Chemistry and Physics at the University of Puerto Rico in Ponce, a primarily undergraduate institution with limited access to sophisticated scientific equipment, representing a significant barrier to biomedical research and STEM training. The FS5 directly addresses this critical need by providing sensitive and precise fluorescence analyses essential for multiple interdisciplinary projects in biomedical sciences, environmental toxicology, and health-related research. Four major users will utilize the FS5 extensively. Dr. Bailón-Ruiz’s research focuses on quantum dot-based fluorescent nanosensors for detecting inorganic contaminants associated with cancer and other chronic diseases. The FS5’s sensitivity and lifetime capabilities will enable the accurate measurement of analyte-induced photoluminescence shifts, dynamic quenching, and Förster resonance energy transfer interactions, thereby accelerating the validation and optimization of these novel biosensors. Dr. Alamo-Nole leads complementary research investigating phototoxicity mechanisms of fluorescent nanomaterials in mammalian cells, yeast, and aquatic models. The instrument’s real-time fluorescence tracking, spectral mapping, and ROS quantification will reveal critical mechanistic insights into nanoparticle uptake, intracellular localization, and phototoxic responses, essential for designing safer nanomaterials in biomedical imaging and therapeutic applications. A third major researcher, Dr. Rivera Ramos, develops selective fluorescent nanosensors targeting protein biomarkers associated with cardiovascular diseases, critical for the early detection of myocardial infarction and heart failure. The FS5’s spectral resolution, lifetime measurement capabilities, and mapping functionalities are crucial for characterizing specific biomolecular interactions, improving sensor selectivity and reliability under physiologically relevant conditions. Finally, the FS5 will significantly enhance educational outcomes by integration into advanced Analytical Chemistry and Instrumental Analysis courses, training students in Biomedical Sciences and Pharmaceutical Chemistry programs with hands-on fluorescence spectroscopy experience, reinforcing competencies in trace-level analyte detection, drug-target interactions, biosensor design, and biomolecular diagnostics essential for future careers in biomedical and pharmaceutical research.