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Thursday, 13. Nov. 2013 |
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15:15 – 16:25 |
Abstract
This talk will
present our multidisciplinary research in Biophotonics
and discuss how this field, together with nanobiotechnology,
is impacting healthcare. Biophotonics utilizes
light-matter interactions for ultrasensitive bioimaging
and biosensing as well as for light guided and
activated therapies such as photodynamic therapy and photocleavable
drug delivery1-3. We are utilizing multimodal and multispectral imaging
involving a combination of nonlinear optical phenomena such as two-photon
absorption, coherent anti-stokes Raman scattering (CARS), second harmonic and
sum frequency generation. They allow chemically selective imaging and probing
of the local macromolecular content in biological specimens for a molecular
understanding of cellular processes and diseases. Moreover, the ability to
monitor macromolecular distributions and interactions is indispensable for drug
discovery.
A major
issue in biophotonics is limited penetration of light
in biological media. A novel direction to overcome this is the use of nonlinear
process for in-situ photon generation of desired wavelength for light
activation. Our new concept of in-situ photon conversion by nonlinear process
to excite a photosensitizer for photodynamic therapy
will be discussed. Utilization of up-converting rare-earth ion doped nanoparticles with sequential multiphoton
processes, allows for in-situ NIR-to-NIR conversion, suitable for contrast bioimaging of biological media, and NIR-to-U.V conversion,
suitable for light induced release of drugs.
Nanobiophotonics is emerging as a major thrust area of nanobiotechnology
which utilizes nanoprobes and nanocarriers
for bioimaging, sensing, and light activated of
therapy. Nanomedicine adds a novel dimension to nanobiotechnology, as it utilizes nanostructured
materials for combined actions of therapy and diagnostic, called theranostics3.
Multifunctional nanoplatforms containing multiple
imaging and sensing probes are being developed which will enable the
integration of cellular, tissue level and whole body imaging using a single
formulation. Coupled with a therapeutic payload, they provide the ability to
act in the treatment (drug or light based) of a disease and provide real time
for optically monitoring the efficacy of the treatment. We are developing light
guided gene/siRNA delivery nanoplatforms
for application in other major health care issues such as infectious diseases
(e.g. swine flu, HIV, Malaria), aging disorders, drug addiction, chronic pain,
depression and obesity.
This talk
will conclude with a discussion of new opportunities in these frontiers.
1. P.N.
Prasad “Introduction to Biophotonics”, John Wiley
& Sons,
2. P.N.
Prasad “Nanophotonics”, John Wiley & Sons,
3. P.N.
Prasad “Introduction to Nanomedicine and Nanobioengineering”,