Color In Vivo: Multiplexed Nanotechnology for Measuring Biological Heterogeneity
Dr.
Jung-Ho
Yu
Research
Scientist
Molecular
Imaging
Program
at
Stanford
(MIPS)
Department
of
Radiology
School
of
Medicine,
Stanford
University,
California,
USA
Thursday,
February
2,
2023
1:30
p.m.
In-person: C2- 361 (Reading Room) and Online via MS Teams
Abstract: Heterogeneity is an inherent characteristic of a biological system, which necessitates high-dimensional and multiplexing bioanalytical tools for comprehensive assessment. Since the expression of biological heterogeneity is most prominent in living subjects, I have developed in vivo multiplexed chemical imaging platforms to monitor as many biological components as possible through efforts in molecular imaging, biological spectroscopy, materials chemistry, and nanotechnology. I will first talk about the development of in vivo three-photon imaging that surpassed the resolution limit of two-photon microscopy and near-infrared fluorescence microscopy. I developed environmentally benign manganese-doped zinc sulfide nanocrystals for next-generation display and discovered their bright three-photon phosphorescence comparable with the two-photon fluorescence, which was successfully applied for in vivo molecular imaging of tumor models. I will then present the development of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy for highly multiplexed preclinical cancer imaging. The surface-enhanced Raman nanoparticles were engineered to achieve sufficient sensitivity as near-infrared fluorescence imaging and increased multiplexing capability over five from the narrow spectral width of Raman spectra. Finally, I will present a supramolecular approach to assemble renally clearable nanoclusters for translating Raman imaging in humans. The highly excretable plasmonic supraclusters were created to display sufficiently bright Raman scattering to replace non-excretable surface-enhanced Raman nanoparticles. I envision the presented research will provide a foundation to realize multiplexed chemical imaging as bioanalytical chemistry in a spatial context and in vivo spectroscopy to monitor integrated body chemistry to provide patient-specific diagnostic solutions.