Transcript Photonic Biosensors and Optofluidic Systems for

BME-LIFESCI-ISEK JOINT SEMINAR
(2015)
10 Nov(Thu)
Time: 14.00 - 15.00 (!)
@ Room AZ-19,
BME B.U. Kandilli Campus
Photonic Biosensors and Optofluidic Systems
for Immunobiology
Serap AKSU, Ph.D.
ETH Zurich Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering,
Switzerland
About the Seminar:
The need for highly accurate and fast biosensing systems and effective point-of-care is evident for early diagnostics
of complex diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's, as well as for evolving natural and man-made biological
threats. Unfortunately, current biosensors are unsuitable because they are time consuming, costly, and require
trained professionals. To meet the needs, we develop cutting edge on-chip optical bio-detection and spectroscopy
systems by exploiting nano-scale photonics, plasmonics, nano/microfluidics, and nanotechnology. In this talk I will
explain plasmon resonance based sensors, which are already considered to be the gold standard for label-free
biosensing and lead the way as next-generation of biosensor technologies. I will also introduce a low-cost
nanopatterning tool for high throughput fabrication of such plasmonic sensors and present their application on
surface enhanced spectroscopy for detection and identification of relevant proteins.
In the second part of the talk I will introduce a novel microfluidic platform for interrogation of live cells for
systems immunology. Valve-based microfluidics is a robust technology that allows parallelizing and automating
everyday laboratory procedures such as mixing, separating, sorting and sampling, in a compact and low cost
platform. Such microfluidic systems enable high-throughput cell secretion dynamics analysis, even at single cell
level. Our system provides absolute quantitation of cytokines (TNFα, IL’s, etc.); and dynamics of the master
immune response regulator NF‐κB and its localization within the cell. In addition, nanophotonic technologies could
easily be integrated with valve-based microfluidic systems and microscopy for efficient analyte trapping,
manipulation and detection of a variety of biological and chemical processes in real time. Both of the presented
technologies could facilitate the transfer of biophotonic technologies for real-world applications.
About the Speaker:
Serap Aksu received her BS degree from Sabanci University in 2008 and PhD degree from Boston University in
2013, both in Materials Science and Engineering. Since 2013, Dr. Aksu has been postdoctoral research fellow at
ETH Zurich Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering. She is the recipient of ETH Zurich Postdoctoral
Fellowship, Boston University Outstanding PhD Dissertation Award and Newport Spectra-Physics Research
Excellence Grant.
For seminar info; to receive electronic notices; for suggestions please contact: Dr. Cengizhan Ozturk, [email protected]