Thermal analysis instruments are now available to MUSC researchers
Thanks to collaboration among the MUSC College of Dental Medicine and
participants in the MUSC/Clemson Joint Bioengineering Program, MUSC
researchers have gained on campus access to new thermal analysis
instrumentation. Dr. Xuejun Wen, Assistant Professor of Bioengineering
and Cell Biology & Anatomy, is in charge of the instrumentation.
Funds provided by the dental school’s research infrastructure
grant from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
(NIDCR) were used to obtain a set of Mettler Toledo thermal analysis
instruments with two modules: one differential scanning calorimeter
module (DSC 822e) and one thermo gravimetric analysis/simultaneous
differential thermal analysis module (TGA/SDTA 851e). Both are equipped
with robotic sampler loaders for high throughput applications. The
equipments also come with a complete set of STARe thermokinetic analysis
software.
The DSC module measures the heat flow in and out of samples as they
are subjected to a temperature profile. The heat flow is indicative
of phase changes. The operating temperature range for this module is –150 °C
to +700 °C. This equipment can measure the calorimetric properties
of a sample (such as heat capacity) as a function of temperature. Samples
can be a natural or synthetic biomaterial, a drug, or a biomolecule,
such as protein, lipid, nucleotide, etc.
Dr. Wen’s lab currently uses the DSC module to characterize:
1) thermal behaviors and degradation of several biodegradable materials
newly synthesized in the lab for tissue engineering applications, 2)
nano-/macro-particle and liposome-based drug delivery system, 3) thermal
behavior change of cells/tissues/biomolecules under different environmental
conditions; and 4) thermal denaturation of proteins in the engineered
tissue. Other examples of applications related to biomedical research
include:
-
Establishing two-component phase diagram of the mixture of two materials, drugs, or macromolecules, such as drug delivery system and drug formulation.
-
Investigating glass transition temperature, crystallization temperature, melting temperature, solid-solid transitions, oxidative stability, polymorphism, degradation of biomaterials and cross-linking, and the degree of cure of thermosetting biomaterials.
-
Examining stability, domain structure, folding intermediates, oligomerization and interactions of proteins and nucleic acids, membrane structures, dynamics, and transport, temperature-induced transitions of lipids/membrane system, and half-life of low molecular weight compounds.
-
Studying drug-protein/DNA/membrane interactions.
-
Determining thermal behavior change of tissue/cells/biomolecules— for example, thermal denaturation protein structure can be used as a useful probe for the study of damaged tissues.
The TGA/SDTA module records mass loss and temperature
difference between an unknown sample and a reference sample in the
same environment during
a programmed time and/or temperature profile. The operating
temperature range is from room temperature to +1100 °C.
Changes in mass indicate mass loss and phase changes
that occur at set temperatures
indicative
of the compound. A variety of atmospheres can be employed
during the analysis.
Dr. Wen’s lab currently uses the TGA/SDTA module
to characterize: 1) nano-thickness biodegradable polymeric
coatings on the bioceramic
nano-particles; and 2) in vitro biomineralization processes.
Other examples of applications related to biomedical
research include:
-
Detecting residual solvent in amorphous and crystalline solids.
-
Characterizing the surface coating.
-
Examining the weight percentage of each component in a mixture.
-
Studying the adsorption property of a substrate.
Facility contact:
Xuejun Wen, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Bioengineering and Cell Biology & Anatomy
Clemson-MUSC Bioengineering Program
Children Research Institute #311
Tel: 792-5875 (Office) 792-5832 (Lab)
Fax: 792-2475
Email: xuejun@musc.edu
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