Tags: Analytical Seminar


Affibodies: Synthetic Protein Binders for Imaging HER2-Positive Breast Cancers

HER2-positive breast cancers affect roughly 25% of patients and are extremely aggressive. While treatments specifically targeting the HER2 receptors are quite successful, they require an accurate diagnosis of HER2 overexpression. Current detection methods of immunohistochemical staining (IHC) and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) do not give a global view of the cancer. They are limited to the metastases biopsied and may lead to…


Nanoparticle-laden Macrophage as a Tumor Tropic Drug Delivery System for Improved Cancer Treatment

Due to poor delivery efficiency, conventional chemotherapy usually requires high injection dose to achieve significant localized control of cancer, which unavoidably leads to systemic toxicity to normal tissues. The emerging nanotechnologies offer new opportunities in optimizing the therapy by altering the post-administration biodistribution of therapeutics and the interaction with the system1. However, the improvement on delivery efficiency…


Development of Molecular Probes for Viral and Bacterial Pathogen Detection Utilizing the Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance (LSPR) of Gold Nanoparticles


Recent developments of 3D printing and applications in microfluidic analysis


Recent Developments in Sample Preparation for Single Particle Cryo-EM

Single particle electron cryomicroscopy (cryo-EM) produces 3D structures of macromolecules by combining many EM images of particles embedded in a thin layer of vitreous ice.  A new generation of direct electron detectors has enabled the production of atomic-resolution structures of biomolecules.1  Despite the impressive gains in resolution, structural determination by cryo-EM remains a slow process involving considerable trial and…


Advances in Point-of-Care (POC) Diagnostics for Infectious Diseases

Early detection of infectious diseases with point-of-care (POC) diagnostics is vital to provide proper treatment for patients especially in developing countries.1 Point-of-care (POC)  diagnostics are generally in vitro diagnostic tests that can be carried out without the need of trained personnel and facilities. Samples of blood, urine, saliva or other bodily fluids are tested to detect targets that will be able to provide us with rapid…


Protein Engineering to Modulate Autoimmunity

Immunostasis is maintained by tolerance mechanisms like the programmed death-1 (PD-1) immune checkpoint.  With the immunostasis, the immune system is able to defend against infections and cancer without causing autoimmune disorders. However, immune stimulation signals override the PD-1 immune checkpoint in autoimmune diseases, and the checkpoint is no longer able to sustain immunostasis.  What drives Dr. Chen’s research is to improve…


Polymer Composites from Derivatized Lignin

Lignin is the third most abundant biopolymer and the only one with a large aromatic network. 50 million tons of it are produced annually.1 Lignin is synthesized inside the plant by the radical polymerization of phenol groups and makes up to forty percent of the dry weight of plants.2 Lignin is produced as a waste by-product from the paper making industry. Most of the lignin produced by these processes are burned as fuel. Recently, rising…


DNA Damage. Structural and functional impact of single ribonucleotides in duplex DNA, the difference one atom makes

My laboratory has been investigating subtle and sometimes not so subtle structural and functional consequences of DNA damage and modifications. A major focus of this presentation will be on single ribonucleotide intrusions in DNA. These represent the most common non-standard nucleotide in genomic DNA, yet little is known of their structural impact. This lesion incurs genomic instability in addition to affecting the physical properties of the DNA…


Peroxidase-mimicking Iron Oxide(Fe3O4) nanoparticles and their applications

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