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1. 2500 1500 500 0 m/z 100 300 500 700 900 MALDI Imaging and Traveling Wave Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry in Materials ResearchChrysWesdemiotis, The University of Akron, DMR 0821313 Gecko Inspired Adhesives Scientists have long admired the gecko‘s ability to walk up smooth surfaces, but have never fully understood how this works. The only explanation provided thus far has been that the gecko’s amazing sticky power results from the complex hierarchal structure of the microscopic hair present on the gecko’s toes. Recent collaborative research at the University of Akron between the groups of Peter Niewiarowski (Biology), Ali Dhinojwala (Polymer Science), and Chrys Wesdemiotis (Chemistry & Polymer Science) discovered many small molecules on the millions of hair strands (setae) within the gecko’s toe using high-sensitivity MALDI imaging. Each molecule on the hair surface can be displayed in a distribution map with this most straightforward method. The information from these images is currently combined with high-resolution ESI tandem mass spectrometry and traveling wave ion mobility mass spectrometry to identify the exact structures of the small molecules. The knowledge gained from gecko’s sticky toes will ultimately lead to novel synthetic adhesives that are both dry and self-cleaning. MALDI imaging of the footprint from a gecko’s single toe. The image displays the distribution of the molecule with m/z 649.

2. MALDI Imaging and Traveling Wave Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry in Materials ResearchChrysWesdemiotis, The University of Akron, DMR 0821313 The first Traveling Wave Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry (TWIM MS) studies of self-assembled supramolecules and supramolecular polymers have been reported and attracted considerable attention because such substances, which are designed for many different applications (e.g., sensors, drug release agents, photovoltaic materials), are difficult to characterize by other methods. The ACS magazine C&EN highlighted these results in a cover story entitled “Doubling Up On Mass Analysis.” Undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate students routinely utilize the instruments acquired with the MRI grant. McNair scholars and ACS-SEED high school students (both selected from groups that are underrepresented in science) have conducted research during the summer. The instruments have facilitated research across several departments at the University of Akron; they have also provided valuable analytical assistance to other academic institutions (Kent State University, Cleveland State University, College of Wooster, Kenyon College, Hiram College, Louisiana State University), hospitals (Akron General, SUMMA Health Care), and industrial corporations (Goodyear, Lubrizol, OMNOVA, DuPont, GoJo). Several industrial problems could be solved by analyses made possible with the new instruments.