Paige Research Group

  
 
 

 

Dr. Matthew F. Paige received his B.Sc.from McMaster University in Hamilton. He completed his Ph.D. at the University of Toronto under the supervision of Dr. Cynthia M. Goh. His graduate work focused on Atomic Force Microscopy. Dr. Paige carried out postdoctoral work in Single-Molecule Fluoroscence Spectroscopy at Stanford University. In 2002 he joined the Department of Chemistry at the University of Saskatchewan as an Assistant Professor.

Office: Thorvaldson 261

Phone: 306.966.4665

email: matthew.paige@usask.ca

 

 

Research Interests

 

My research program is focused on the development of ultra-sensitive and ultra-high resolution measurement techniques and applying these techniques to biological systems. These cutting-edge experimental approaches represent the ultimate in detection and can provide powerful new insight into a range of exciting biophysical systems. By nature, my research is very interdisciplinary, involving analytical, biological and physical chemistry, with an occasional dash of physics and statistics.

Currently, research in my group is divided into three main sections:

  1. Development of chemically sensitive Atomic Force Microscopy
    The goal of this work is to modify the Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) such that the technique provides chemical sensitivity in addition to its exquisite (sub-nanometer) spatial resolution. The ultimate goal of the project is to develop a general tool useful for combined chemical and topographical mapping of biomaterial surfaces.
  2. Single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy of biomolecules
    Single-molecule spectroscopy is an exciting, cutting-edge field of research in which individual molecules (fluorophores) can be observed at room temperature and in condensed phases. By observing individual biological molecules we can observe behaviour which is averaged out in 'bulk' ensemble measurements. The ultimate goal of this work is to characterize dynamic, biological events at the level of a single biomolecule.
  3. Synchrotron-based single-molecule measurements
    The development of the Canadian Light Source (CLS) at the University of Saskatchewan has made possible an entirely new type of single-molecule measurement, based upon x-ray diffraction of microcrystals tethered to surface-bound biomolecules. This project will commence upon completion of the CLS (est.2004).
For more information on current research, please see the "research" section.