Cover Story:
THE BIO-NANOMECHANICS PROJECT
Martin Hegner a*, Hans Peter Lang a,b & Christoph Gerber, a
a) |
NCCR Nanoscale Science, Institute of Physics, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland |
b) |
IBM Research, Zurich Research Laboratory, Säumerstrasse 4, CH-8803 Rüschlikon, Switzerland |
* |
Corresponding author Martin Hegner, Tel.: +41 (0)61 267 37 61, Fax: +41 (0)61 267 37 84 |
This article provides a brief overview of the ongoing life science projects within the
Bio-Nanomechanics group of the University of Basel. A team of scientists of various
research fields is working on the fundamentals of biological Nanoscience and on the development of the next
generation of nano-biosensors. Driven by the interdisciplinary nature of the projects, the involved
researchers managed to build during the last four years a group of closely collaborating experts in the
various fields.
Such daily collaboration within the group is a solid foundation for both an efficient approach to
research and comprehensive exchange of know-how.
The projects we pursue involve two kinds of experiments. First, experiments on nanosystems involving single
biomolecules in action investigated using biophysical tools (scanning probe microscopy, combined optical
tweezers for force and optical spectroscopy)(1-3). Second, experiments performed on macrosystems involving
novel tools for label free bio-sensing using cantilever array technology (4-6). The current projects pursued
are only possible, because of a fruitful collaboration across research disciplines is occurring. In addition,
without the support from the people from both the electronic and mechanical workshops, the high quality of
our current instruments and tools would not be available as it is now.
