MONDAY MEMO, July 30, 2007 **************** 1. Announcements **************** 1.1: Birck named FACILITY OF THE YEAR: Controlled Environments (www.cemag.us <http://www.cemag.us> ) has awarded the BNC recognition as FACILITY OF THE YEAR, ³The Birck Nanotechnology Center is designed for interdisciplinary, collaborative research. The goals established for Purdue¹s Birck Nanotechnology Center were daunting. The program called for 25,000 square feet of cleanroom with very stringent operating parameters. Purdue University partnered with HDR Architecture, Inc. and created an environment of collaboration that engaged all parties by stimulating creativity at all levels. One of the most valuable aspects of the building is its flexibility. The adaptable configuration of the cleanroom suite, the full sub-fab, and the accessibility of the systems will allow the building to be reconfigured as necessary to serve forms and techniques of research in the future. The Birck Nanotechnology Center truly breaks new ground in the scope and quality of the environment it promises to make available.² 1.2: BIO Mid-America Venture Forum, September 24-26, 2007; Milwaukee, Minnesota. A Midwest conference where bioscience, biofuel, and medical device companies from across the country are show cased together. For more information, visit bma.bio.org **************** 2. Seminars **************** 2.1: Tuesday, 07.31, 4:00, BRK 1001: ³Micro-scaled Biochips with Optically Active Surfaces for Near and Far-field Analysis of Cellular Fluorescence,² by Huw Summers, PhD, Senior Lecturer, Cardiff University, School of Physics and Astronomy, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom ABSTRACT: The integration of thin (< 100 nm) metal films with micro-scale optical waveguides provides a route to controlled spatial excitation of cellular fluorescence within a biochip platform. Surface bound electron-plasma oscillations (surface plasmon waves) interact with photons to produce an evanescent field localized within 100nm of the chip surface. These plasmon fields can therefore be used as a near-field probe of analytes situated at the surface e.g. surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensing. If a grating with sub-wavelength periodicity is fabricated at the surface then coupling of the plasmons to free-space photons can be achieved and a highly directional beam of light is produced. We have been developing surface-active biochips using these processes to provide selective excitation in the near or far field of fluorescently-labeled cells. These chips combine a number of commonly used techniques such as SPR, TIRF and epi-fluorescence within a single device and have the potential to provide sub-cellular discrimination of excitation in 3-D. BIO: Dr. Summers is a biophotonics physicist, who among other things, works on the UK Optical Biochip project designing small, micro-fluidic, optical biochip cytometers. He is spending a mini-sabbatical with Dr. Leary at Discovery Park during the month of July with collaborations to continue in the coming year. ******************** 2. Birck Visitors ******************** 2.1: Tuesday, July 31, 3:30 to 4:30, BME Graduate Student Program visit 2.2: Thursday, August 2, 1:15 to 2:45, PRF Entrepreneurship Academy visit ******************** 3. Birck Tips ******************** 3.1: Ordering Supplies Please note that all students from ECE and MSE should have access to SRM, OnePurdue¹s on-line purchasing system. If you need some help with getting started, please contact Vikki Fast (BRK Business Office 63614, BRK 1010); she will provide the necessary training. If the clerical staff is asked to place an order, the requisition will be submitted using the SRM system, when a purchase order is generated by purchasing, the clerical staff member will send the order number to the requestor. If an order with a purchase number has not been received, please contact Vikki Fast, who has been designated as Birck¹s contact with the purchasing department; she will make the necessary inquiries. By following these procedures, we should be able to reduce the number of people involved when problems arise and, hopefully, will reduce any confusion. Please contact Stacy Brown (41619) or Deborah Starewich (43509) should you have questions. Deborah S. Starewich Administrative Assistant to Timothy D. Sands, Director Birck Nanotechnology Center Purdue University 765-494-3509 dstarewi@ecn.purdue.edu http://www.nano.purdue.edu/