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NINT Research Plan – Overview
The focus of the National Institute for Nanotechnology’s (NINT)
research program is integration – the combination of separate
nano-scale devices and materials into complex nanosystems that are connected
the outside world. NINT explores the integration, at the molecular level,
of nature’s most powerful nano-devices such as proteins, lipids,
and other biological structures made from ‘soft’ organic material,
with crystalline semiconductors, metals, and catalysts made from inorganic
‘hard’ materials. The connection of natural biological or
synthetic bio-inspired structures with electronics and information systems
will lead to new and extremely powerful tools and technology platforms
with broad application in the life sciences, medicine, materials science,
and electronics and computation.
The NINT research program complements and enhances current nanotechnology
research and infrastructure at the University of Alberta, and overlaps
with the strategic research interests of the Government of Alberta. By
working together, NINT and the University will enhance the facilities
and infrastructure in a single location. Careful planning ensures complementary
expertise and a critical mass of researchers in areas of strategic importance
to Alberta. Existing capabilities related to the energy industry, both
petroleum-based and fuel cells will be expanded by research into catalysis
and nano-scale material science, and by engaging industrial researchers.
Development of new devices and materials for information and communications
technologies, especially wireless communications, will also be a major
activity at NINT and will involve cross-appointed and guest researchers
from industry, the University of Alberta and other institutions across
the country. NINT will also advance Alberta’s interest in expanding
its life sciences and medical expertise through development of technology
platforms for new medical therapeutic devices, sensors and diagnostic
devices, and possibly new drugs and drug delivery systems. The stimulation
of economic activity in Alberta through nanotechnology research and innovation
in is a major objective of research at NINT and the University of Alberta.
The implementation of the NINT Research Plan strongly depends on the
unique research culture at the institute, which combines the individual,
inquiry-based research of the university with the team-based, applications-oriented
research of the National Research Council. Exploring the convergence of
science and engineering at the molecular level requires close collaboration
among researchers in physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, pharmacy,
and engineering. Expertise in atomic manipulation and scanning probe microscopy
combines with advanced expertise in surface and supramolecular chemistry
to build new molecular devices and integrate them into nanosystems. New
theoretical and computational techniques are being developed to predict
and understand the behaviour of the systems on multiple length scales.
Powerful applications of the resulting innovations and technology platforms
will be explored by applied scientists and engineers from within NINT,
the University of Alberta and industrial partners.
NINT’s initial research focus for its first five years is on development
and applications in the areas of:
- Synthesis and characterization of nanocrystals and nanowires
- Synthesis of supramolecular-based nanomaterials
- Fabrication and characterization of molecular-scale devices and nanosensors
- Development of nano-scaled materials for catalysis and directed chemical
reactions at semiconductor surfaces
- Development of nano-electronic and nano-fluidic systems to interface
devices to the outside world
- Theory, modeling, and simulation of nanosystems on multiple length
scales
- Development of quantitative imaging and characterization techniques
that support nanotechnology research
This work is focused around four interdisciplinary research groups:
In addition, several University of Alberta faculty members will be cross-appointed
to NINT and will conduct research that connects to and enhances the four
areas listed above.
The long-term objectives of NINT’s research plan are to discover
‘design rules’ for nanotechnology, and develop platforms for
building nanosystems and materials that can be constructed and programmed
for a particular application. NINT’s grand challenge is to design
and build a system that:
- Is self-assembled from components on a surface or self-supported
in a liquid
- Is powered by local chemical sources such as ATP, pumped ion-gradients,
or micro-fuel-cells
- Can be designed or programmed for a specific function such as catalysis,
drug delivery, computation, or a combination of such functions
- Is able to sense and respond to its chemical and physical environment
The realization of NINT’s goals, both long and short-term, will
lead to important new applications and commercial opportunities, and will
establish Edmonton as an internationally-recognized centre of nanotechnology
research and industrial activity, attracting young scientists and graduate
students of high caliber to continually increase the capabilities of the
institute.
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