RESEARCH

Specific directions:

Physics of soft materials:

  • Development of new quantitative characterization methods that allow measuring mechanical properties of materials down to the nanoscale  (NSF-supported)
  • Physics of cancer with advanced force microscopy (NIH-supported)
  • Physics of aging with advanced force microscopy (NSF-supported)

Nanophotonics:

  • Development of the brightest fluorescent silica materials at nano and micro scale: particles, films (former NSF support), fluorescent ratiometric sensors (NSF-supported).
  • Development of novel cellulose nanomaterials (NSF-supported).
  • Biomedical imaging using the developed fluorescent nanoparticles (NIH-supported).

Translational Research:

  • Development of the brightest fluorescent silica materials at nano and micro scale: particles, films (former NSF support), Fluorescent ratiometric sensors (NSF-supported; , commercialized by NanoScience Solutions, LLC).
  • Novel Ringing modeTM of Atomic Force Microscopy (patented, commercialized by NanoScience Solutions, Inc.).
  • Development of novel cellulose nanomaterials (NSF-supported).
  • Biomedical imaging using the developed fluorescent nanoparticles (NIH-supported).
  • Ultra-bright fluorescent silica particles for labeling, tracing, and detection (patented and patent-pending technology; in the process of commercializing).
  • AFM-based multi-frequency nanoindenter FT-nanoDMATM (patented, commercialized by NanoScience Solutions, Inc.)
  • Polishing of Dental surfaces: the creation of polishing slurries/pastes to polish teeth down to molecular smoothness. This prevents bad bacteria from forming long-lasting films, and consequent caries (patented).
  • Physical methods of identification of cancer cells for early detection of cancer (patented, commercialized by Cellens, Inc.).
  • Nano-stethoscope project (feasibility project)