Optical Tweezers
Optical Tweezer at crosshairs moving microsphere in alginate gel. The softer the gel, the more the microsphere moves
My research is based on the interactions of light and matter, and its use for biomedical applications. These interactions range from the use of light to pattern biomaterials to optical tweezers, in which the electric fields of tightly focussed laser light can apply appreciable forces to microscopic materials: cells in culture or microspheres used as probes of the stiffness and viscoelastic response of extracellular matrix. This enable us to non-invasively probe the effects of mechanical stimuli.
During my research leave at the Optics Laboratory, EPFL Lausanne I researched the use of deep learning to image through bio-friendly fibers such as gelatin supported deep eutectic solvents (DES) and silk. The main outcome was the development of DES assisted, bio-friendly polyesters based on polyols such as 1,8-octanediol and citric acid. My current research concentrates on optical beam propagation in nonlinear optical materials.