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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/R25637/01
Title: Bessel Beams For Optical Micro-Manipulation & Their Application To Trapping & Guiding of Chromosomes
Principal Investigator: Dholakia, Professor K
Other Investigators:
Bryant, Dr P
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department: Physics and Astronomy
Organisation: University of St Andrews
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 September 2001 Ends: 29 February 2004 Value (£): 131,698
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Genomics Instrumentation Eng. & Dev.
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
No relevance to Underpinning Sectors
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
The first part of the proposal is based around the use of a Bessel light beam for optical micro-manipulation of microscopic particles and biological specimens. The central maximum can propagate without diffracting for several Rayleigh ranges and also can be very narrow. We aim to capitalise on this new method of optical tweezing that has been pioneered by the applicant. The areas of study include a complete characterisation of tweezing using such a beam to compare and contrast forces using such a beam and standard tweezers. Novel studies include the alignment of long rod-like samples inlcuding chromosomes along the Bessel beam . Finally work will be performed for the extended guiding of microscopic particles using Bessel light beams over extended (mm to cm) distances.Optical micromanipulation of mammalian cells using Bessel beams have many potentially new applications including determination in development and the ability to bring irradiated cells close to unirradiated cells to study the bystander effect in which a damaged cell can cause chromosome damage to other cells. Chromosome damage will be studied in the unirradiated cells. Optical micromanipulation of Chinese hamster and Muntjac chromosomes and fragments of these chromosomes will use Bessel laser beams. Fragments of chromosomes, produced by cutting chromosomes with other lasers from regions adjacent to unique break sites will be held and transported to specially designed wells for amplification by a series of polymerase chain reaction steps.KEYWORDS Biology Biomolecular Optics Lasers Medicine Physics Instrumentation
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Organisation Website: http://www.st-and.ac.uk