Art Institute of Chicago - Northwestern University Program in Conservation Science* Professor Katherine Faber, Northwestern Liaison Dr. Francesca Casadio, Mellon Conservation Scientist

A femtosecond laser is used to perform "nano" surgery on a living cell. The actin filaments in the cell have been fluorescently labeled using green fluorescent protein (GFP). When a single filament is cut, it retracts, much like a violin string that has broken. This demonstrates that the actin filaments in the cell are under tension, and hence are being "pulled" apart.

Graphitic Carbon Produced at Very Low Temperatures during the Synthesis of Iron Oxide NanoparticlesGraphitic carbon - structural forms of the element that are constructed exclusively from carbon atoms having trigonal planar coordination - is ordinarily produced under drastic physical and conditions, typically at temperatures in excess of 500ï‚° C. Columbia MRSEC scientists have uncovered a process by which this form of matter can assemble at temperatures as low as 110ï‚° C. During their development of a low-temperature synthesis of nanocrystals of iron oxides, Drs.

Periodically, the MRSEC posts scientific nuggets, i.e. brief one or two page descriptions of important scientific or technological discoveries and innovative new outreach initiatives which have resulted from NSF or other support. Feel free to explore the ones that we have provided here. The nuggets are in .pdf format.

Magnetocrystalline anisotropy is found in many magnetic materials which means that the energy of a magnet depends on the magnetization direction. This keeps our windshield wipers moving and our toy magnets attached to the fridge. However, on changing the direction of the field that aligns the magnetic moments, the aligned magnetization normally remains nearly unchanged. A strikingly different behavior has been found by researchers at the University of Nebraska MRSEC.

The nanoscale engineering is one of the most dynamic domains at the interface between electronics, physics, biology and medicine. As there is no regulation yet, concern about future health problems is raising. We have investigated the cytotoxicity of Citrate/Gold nanoparticles at different concentrations and times. Major effects on cells appeared as a result of the internalization of nanoparticles, such as disruption of the actin cytoskeleton, loss of spreading and growth, as well as protein synthesis, and reduction of phagocytosis of bacteria.

Marjorie Longo, UC Davis; Steve Boxer, Stanford University