New Methods for Ultrasensitive DNA and Protein Biosensing with Plasmons, Nanowires, and Diffraction Gratings

Friday, May 7, 2010 - 4:00 p.m. to Saturday, May 8, 2010 - 4:55 p.m.
Calit2 3008
2009-2010 Lifechips Seminar Series

Featuring Robert Corn, Ph.D.

Professor, Chemistry and Biomedical Engineering

The Henry Samueli School of Engineering, UC Irvine

Free and open to the public

Refreshments will be provided



For more information on seminar and Lifechips program, please visit www.lifechips.org.



Abstract:

Surface bioaffinity sensing has become invaluable tool for the rapid, multiplexed detection of biomolecules. In the last decade, a number of surface-sensitive spectroscopic techniques based on changes in the local optical index of refraction near an interface upon adsorption have emerged as attractive alternatives to traditional fluorescence-based detection methods for surface bioaffinity microarrays. For example, surface plasmon resonance imaging (SPRI) has been successfully applied to monitor the bioaffinity adsorption of DNA, RNA, antibodies, proteins and biomarkers onto microarrays. This talk will describe our recent efforts to create the next generation of ultrasensitive biosensors to detect RNA, DNA and protein biomarkers at extremely low (femtomolar) concentrations with a combination of surface enzyme chemistry, gold nanoparticles, and diffraction gratings that utilize DNA nanolines created from gold nanowires.



About the Speaker:

Robert M. Corn, Ph.D., is a professor in the Departments of Chemistry and Biomedical Engineering at the University of California, Irvine. Corn is a expert in the development and application of surface-sensitive spectroscopic techniques such as surface plasmon resonance (SPR) imaging, optical second harmonic generation (SHG), and polarization modulation Fourier transform infrared (PM-FTIR) spectroscopy. His primary research interests include the study of biopolymer (e.g., DNA, protein) adsorption onto surfaces and the chemical modification of surfaces for the creation of ultrathin films and adsorption-based biosensors. Corn also has ongoing research projects in the implementation of DNA computing algorithms at surfaces and the study of ion transfer processes at liquid/liquid interfaces. He received a B.A. degree in chemistry from UC San Diego, a Ph.D. degree in chemistry from UC Berkeley, and was a professor in the Chemistry Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for 19 years before moving to UC Irvine in 2004.