I. Bioenabled Plasmonic Nanostructures for Sensing and Imaging
We are interested in developing optical sensing systems for studying cellular processes, and for high-throughput screening of drug candidates, proteins and other compounds of security, biomedical and environmental importance. The sensing platforms are based on biofunctionalized plasmonic nanostructures. By incorporating designed biological linkers with surface-anchored plasmonic nanoparticles, we engineer unique optical responses that provide high sensitivity and selectivity for the detection of target even in complex media, and enable facile and low-cost biodiagnostics.
II. Hybrid Nanomaterials for Energy Generation and Photochemical Processes
Solar is poised to be a sustainable clean renewable alternative energy. Of the various photovoltaics that convert light to electricity, those based on conjugated polymers and nanoparticles are attractive because of their low cost and ease of fabrication. We are interested in organizing these materials (including metal oxide nanoparticles, semiconductor quantum dots and organic polymers) into hierarchical structures. We aim to increase light absorption through photonic and/or plasmonic enhancements, and to promote charge separation and transport by controlling the interfacial properties. We employ spectroscopies, microscopies, surface analyses and photovoltaic characterizations to elucidate the factors governing device performance. Aside from solar electric conversion, we are also interested in inorganic nanomaterials for photocatalysis, environmental remediation and solar fuel generation.
Our research is supported by:
- Canada Foundation of Innovation
- Ontario Research Fund
- Natural Science and Engineering Council of Canada
- Petro-Canada
- York University
Our (past and present) collaborators include:
– Professor Peng (Biology)
– Professor Johnson (Chemistry)
– Fluidigm Inc. (now Standard BioTools)
– Professor Kitaev (Wilfrid Laurier University)