Event
Chemical Society Seminar: Russ Algar- Designer Materials & Smartphone Devices for Bioanalysis
Abstract:
Methods for the analysis of biomolecular markers of health and disease are in high demand. There is ongoing need for measurements that are not only more sensitive, more selective, faster, and richer in information, but also more accessible. Technologies continue to advance, but often with cost and complexity that makes them available to fewer and fewer people. In response, we have designed fluorescent materials that enable molecular assays and cellular analyses on simply engineered smartphone-based devices amenable to low-resource, point-of-care settings. This presentation will give an overview of some of our recent research in this area, including how materials like semiconductor quantum dots (QDs), semiconducting polymer dots (Pdots), supra- and super-nanoparticle assemblies, and luminescent lanthanide complexes benefit this endeavor. Our unique approaches to the preparation of these materials, their (macro)molecular functionalization, bioconjugation, and characterization will be described alongside examples of applications, such as enhanced sensing of enzyme activity, smartphone-based time-gated FRET assays, and smartphone-based flow cytometry.
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Bio:
Dr. Russ Algar completed his BSc, MSc, and PhD at the University of Toronto and postdoctoral research at The Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, US Naval Research Laboratory. He started his independent career at the University of British Columbia in 2012 and is now a full professor in the Department of Chemistry, a previous Canada Research Chair, and a previous Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholar. Dr. Algar has authored > 130 indexed publications that have accrued > 12 000 citations, plus 13 book chapters, and edited one book. His research on the development and application of luminescent materials for bioanalysis has been recognized with many awards: the Perkin-Elmer Analytical Science and Spectroscopy Award (2023), The Analytical Scientist Top 40 Under 40 (2019, 2022), a Killam Accelerator Research Fellowship (2022), the CSC McBryde Medal (2022), the UBC McDowell Medal (2020), an NSERC Discovery Accelerator (2018), an Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship (2017), the Spectroscopy (US-based) Emerging Leader in Molecular Spectroscopy Award (2017), and the CSC Fred Beamish Award (2017), among others.