BioCubic

Back from summer break, stuck with #DNA #QC ? Consider an affordable #AFM or #imaging service! (M13 ssDNA molecules) https://lnkd.in/eq9z8cgn

M13 single-strand #DNA . #AFM is the most efficient method to image DNA constructs! And you can do it with a $50,000 HR-AFM from AFMWorkshop https://lnkd.in/eKhqbVRQ

We can also help analyze microbial samples with #AFM! Both #QC of microbial strains in #biomanufacturing (e.g. bacteria off an agar plate), #biofilms and #microbiomes are possible. Ship us samples, we'll send you data, simple as that!

Check out or #AFM imaging services for #qualitycontrol of your #manufacturing processes. #Cells, #microbes, #filtration #membranes, #biomaterials down to #molecules such as #DNA and #proteins. Micro- to nanoscale! https://lnkd.in/eq9z8cgn

#afm is also a really simple method to evaluate #filtration systems, from membrane #QC to checking both the filtrate and the filter cake. Here are pore diameter measurements in a 0.8 um polycarbonate filtration membrane. https://lnkd.in/g4Du6zcy

Topography (nanometers) and phase images of a #polymer surface taken with the HR-AFM. The topography shows a bunch of contaminants, but the phase (stiffness) immediately tells you that it's polymer fragments + softer oily droplets. Good to know if you want to functionalize the surface! #afm https://lnkd.in/ei8erwjq

BioCubic customers who synthesize and modify #DNA need to optimize the cleanup and storage of their constructs. Here's an example of fragmenting DNA after extended storage at room temperature. Send us your DNA and we'll check it for you! #AFM https://lnkd.in/eKhqbVRQ

Soft/hard differentiation of surface features at the nanoscale! I've been working on #biomaterials surfaces recently with the #afm and got nice information from phase imaging. One of the unique features of AFM is that it can give you nano-mechanical information about a surface, the easiest being the phase image. You get an immediate idea of what's on your surface and it's particularly useful for co-polymers of different stiffness. https://lnkd.in/ei8erwjq

We had a HUGE week at SPARK IP last week. We filed our second USPTO application for our atmospheric water generator (>thx Joe Hodler!), and received a second infusion of funding to help us develop our next prototype (I♡NY)! More on that later. Both USPTO patent-pending inventions use a bio-based approach to convert arid desert air into liquid water. At the core of our technology is a hygroscopic composite made of easily accessible (and abundant) natural materials. Early in the process, we focused on biomaterials that were derived from plants, so one of the hygroscopic composites that we produced consists of plant-derived hydrogels and thermoresponsive cellulose. Sooooooo much work has gone into experimenting with pore size, number, and structure throughout this examination of hygroscopic materials, because increased surface area helps increase water absorption and desorption (among other factors). Microscopy has helped us envision exactly what’s going on. You can see an early image here, at the microscale. The latest images are from an atomic force microscope that can reach nanoscale resolution, thanks to our partnership with BioCubic. We’ll soon share info on that, as we're in the midst of acquiring results now. In the coming weeks and months, we’ll be sharing more of our progress and will provide more insights into the biomaterials that enable our new inventions to work, plus more details on the device itself. The project began as a Yeadon Space Agency R&D initiative last year, and was recently moved from the YSA lab bench to SPARK IP for additional prototyping and testing. To receive updates on our ongoing projects and other initiatives for meaningful impact, please follow us on Instagram and check out our website at: https://lnkd.in/dAKGMWDJ #spark_ip #sparkip #yeadonspaceagency #hodlerlaw #climatesolutions #water #biocubic

You can also mount an #AFM on the stage of an inverted light microscope to collect #correlative LM-AFM data, including topography and force measurements, dry and in liquid. Gram staining of #microbiome samples is one potential application, like this image of a cheek #cell from a swab. https://lnkd.in/gQXJB7yd #cellbiology #cellmechanics #research