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Nano-optofluidic platforms for molecular and cellular analysis

Professor Chia-Fu Chou from Institute Of Physics,Academia Sinica
@ Room 104, CCMS-New Physics Building

Abstract:

Geometrically simple nanostructures, in the forms of nanoslits, nanochannels, nanoconstrictions, and plasmonic nanogaps, offer unique platforms for the study of molecular and cellular biophysics, with the potential for bioanalytical applications. In recent years, we have developed various nano-optofluidic platforms for the manipulation and analysis of biomolecules and cells [1-9]. Here we will elaborate on the following examples: (1) multi-functional electrode nanogaps for AC dielectrophoresis (DEP)-based molecular trapping, plasmonic hot spots for SERS, and electrical measurements for proteins [5] and amyloid-beta oligomers; (2) nanoslit structure for Nanofluidic Fluorescence Microscopy, a cost-effective nanofluidics-based immunosensor for real-time monitoring of protein binding kinetics and affinity studies [6-8]; and (3) 10 nm deep sub-nanoliter fluidic nanochannels on germanium crystal for attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy for ultralow volume molecular characterization [9]; and (4) periodic micro-nanofluidic structures for the study of physical stress-induced morphological plasticity of bacteria [10] and the dynamic pattern formation of bacteria cell-division regulating proteins. Our platforms open up new and simple ways for molecular and cellular study and analysis.

 

References:

  1. L.J. Guo, X. Cheng, C.F. Chou, Nano Lett. 2004, 4, 69-73.
  2. K.T. Liao, C.F. Chou, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 1348742−8745. (JACS SpotlightsJACS 2012, 134, 10307)
  3. J.W. Yeh, A. Taloni, Y.L. Chen, C.F. Chou, Nano Lett. 2012, 12, 1597–1602. (Research Highlights, Nature 2012, 482, 442).
  4. K.K. Sriram, J.W. Yeh, Y.L. Lin, Y.R. Chang, C.F. Chou, Nucleic Acids Research 2014, 42, e85.
  5. L. Lesser-Rojas, P. Ebbinghaus, G. Vasan, M.L. Chu, A. Erbe, C.F. Chou, Nano Lett. 2014, 14, 2242–2250. 
  6. T. Leichlé and C.F. Chou, Biomicrofluidics 2015, 9, 034103 (Editor’s Picks).
  7. P. Teerapanich, M. Pugnière, C. Henriquet, Y. L. Lin, C. F. Chou, T. Leichle, Biosens. Bioelectron. 2017, 88, 25–33.
  8. P. Teerapanich, M. Pugnière, C. Henriquet , Y. L. Lin , A. Naillona, P. Josepha, C. F. Chou, T. Leichle, Sens. Actuators BChemical 2018, 274, 338–342.
  9. K. K. Sriram, S. Nayak, C.F. Chou, A. Erbe, Analyst, 2017, 142, 273-278 (Back Cover).
  10. J.P. Shen and C.F. Chou, Biomicrofluidics 2014, 8, 041103 (Fast Track article). Final list of Biomicrofluidics 2014 Best Paper Award.


Brief Bio:

 

Dr. Chou received his B.S. in physics from National Tsing Hua University in 1986, and Ph.D. in physics from State University of New York at Buffalo in 1996. From 1997-2000, he was a NIH Postdoctoral Fellow at Princeton University (in physics and molecular biology). In 2000, he joined the Solid State Research Center of Motorola Labs in Tempe, AZ, as a Lead Scientist, and later Principal Staff Scientist. In late 2002, he co-founded the interdisciplinary Center for Applied Nanobioscience in the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University, and served as an Associate Professor and Principal Investigator. Since Spring 2006, he has been appointed Research Fellow at Institute of Physics with affiliation at both Genomics Research Center and Research Center for Applied Sciences, Academia Sinica. He has over 100 scientific publications and 13 issued patents (USA*9, Taiwan*2, EU*1, China*1). He is best known in the BioMEMS community as an inventor of electrodeless (insulator-based) dielectrophoresis for molecular trapping and the nanoscale molecular dam for ultrafast protein enrichment and sensing. His current research interests include molecular and cell biophysics, nanobiosensors, micro- and nanofluidics, and bioimaging. During 2013-2016, he served on the Editorial Board of the AIP Journal Biomicrofluidics. He chaired the 5th International conference of Advances of Microfluidics and Nanofluidics (AMN2014) and served as a guest editor of the special issue of Biomicrofluidics for AMN2014; and co-chaired Biophysical Society (USA) Thematic Meeting: New Biological Frontiers Illuminated by Molecular Sensors and Actuators (2015). His work has been selected as Academia Sinica Significant Research Achievements and was awarded an Outstanding Research Award (科技部傑出研究獎) in 2014 from the Ministry of Science and Technology, ROC.

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