Distinguished Lecture Series - The Convergence of Materials Science and Life Science

Professor Tuan Vo-Dinh, Duke University

R. Eugene and Susie E. Goodson Professor
Director of Fitzpatrick Institute for Photonics

Plasmonic Nanosensors and Nanoprobes: Monitoring Health from the Gene Level, Single Cell Systems to Medical Diagnostics

Hosted by Tony Huang

4 p.m. - 100 Life Sciences Building, Berg Auditorium

Watch Dr. Vo-Dinh's online

Lecture Abstract:

This lecture provides an overview of recent developments in our laboratory for several plasmonic nanomaterials and biosensing technologies that allow biomedical diagnostics from the gene level to single-cell, and whole body systems. The first technology involves interactions of laser radiation with metallic nanoparticles, inducing very strong enhancement of the electromagnetic field on the surface of the nanoparticles. These processes, often called ‘plasmonic enhancements’, produce the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) effect that could enhance the Raman signal of molecules on these nanoparticles more than a million fold. The SERS technology can be used to directly detect chemical species and biological species with exquisite sensitivity in environmental and biomedical samples. A SERS-based nanoprobe technology, referred to as ‘Molecular Sentinel’ nanoprobes, has been developed to detect DNA targets of pathogenic agents (e.g., HIV) and biomarkers of diseases (e.g., BRCA1, ERB2 breast cancer genes). Using nanofabrication, SERS-based plasmonic nanochip systems can also be developed for use as environmental sensors and diagnostic systems for point-of-care and global health applications.

In the field of biosensing of individual cells a unique advance has been the development of optical nanosensors, which have dimensions on the nanometer (nm) size scale. Using lasers as excitation sources for these nanosensors, it has become possible to probe physiological parameters (pH), individual biochemical species (DNA adducts) and monitor molecular pathways (apoptosis) in a single living cell. These nanosensors lead to a new generation of nanophotonic tools that can detect the earliest signs of disease at the single-cell level and have the potential to drastically change our fundamental understanding of the life process itself.

Spectrochemical detection using plasmonic nanomaterials and biosensing technologies are definitely bringing a bright future to biochemical and medical research and could ultimately lead to the development of new modalities of environmental sensing, early diagnostics, drug discovery, and medical treatment beyond the cellular level to that of individual organelles and even DNA, the building block of life.

Bio:

Dr. Vo-Dinh was born in Vietnam. After completing high school in Vietnam, he pursued his education in Europe where he received a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from ETH (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) in Zurich, Switzerland. Before joining Duke University in 2006, Dr. Vo-Dinh was Director of the Center for Advanced Biomedical Photonics, Group Leader of Advanced Biomedical Science and Technology Group, and a Corporate Fellow, one of the highest honors for distinguished scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). His research has focused on the development of advanced technologies for the protection of the environment and the improvement of human health. His research activities involve nano-biophotonics, laser spectroscopy, molecular imaging, medical diagnostics, cancer detection, chemical sensors, biosensors, nanosensors, and biochips.

Dr. Vo-Dinh has received seven R&D 100 Awards for Most Technologically Significant Advance in Research and Development for his pioneering research and inventions of innovative technologies. He has received the Gold Medal Award, Society for Applied Spectroscopy (1988); the Languedoc-Roussillon Award (France) (1989); the Scientist of the Year Award, ORNL (1992); the Thomas Jefferson Award, Martin Marietta Corporation (1992); two Awards for Excellence in Technology Transfer, Federal Laboratory Consortium (1995, 1986); the Inventor of the Year Award, Tennessee Inventors Association (1996); and the Lockheed Martin Technology Commercialization Award (1998), The Distinguished Inventors Award, UT-Battelle (2003), and the Distinguished Scientist of the Year Award, ORNL (2003). In 1997, Dr. Vo-Dinh was presented the Exceptional Services Award for distinguished contribution to a Healthy Citizenry from the U.S. Department of Energy. In 2011, he received the Award for Spectrochemical Analysis from the American Chemical Society (ACS), Division of Analytical Chemistry.

Dr. Vo-Dinh has authored over 350 publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals. He is the author of a textbook on spectroscopy and editor of 6 books. He holds over 33 U.S. patents, five of which have been licensed by the U.S. Department of Energy to private companies for commercial development. Dr. Vo Dinh has presented over 200 invited lectures at international meetings in universities and research institutions. He has chaired over 20 international conferences in his field of research and served on various national and international scientific committees.

Email: tuan.vodinh@duke.edu
Website: http://fds.duke.edu/db/pratt/BME/faculty/tuan.vodinh