Nanotechnology greatly benefits from mathematical disciplines such as data science, informatics and computational modeling, assisting with theoretical and experimental approaches to designing materials with novel physical and chemical characteristics, optimizing device design, and predicting behaviour of complex biological-pharmaceutical systems.
WIN is proud to have three outstanding researchers from the Faculty of Mathematics as part of its membership, including Professor Zoran Miskovic (WIN member since 2008), and most recently Professors Anita Layton and Mohammad Kohandel, each from the Department of Applied Mathematics.
Professor
Zoran
Miskovic’s
group
focuses
on
mathematical
modeling
and
computer
simulation
of
physical
processes in
nano-sized
structures
interacting
with
surrounding
materials
and
external
probes.
The
group’s
work
has recently
evolved
in
two
main
directions:
nano-photonics
and
nano-plasmonics,
and
electrochemistry.
In
the
first domain,
Professor
Miskovic
explores
the
excitation
of plasmon
and
phonon
polaritons,
as
well
as
transition radiation,
induced
by
the
response
of
two-dimensional materials
(such
as
graphene)
to
fast
charged
particles. This
work
is
of
interest
for
applications
for
a
new
generation of
particle
detectors,
novel
sources
of
terahertz
radiation,
and
electron
microscopy
of
plasmonic
metasurfaces,
among
others.
In
the
second
domain,
Professor
Miskovic
explores
the
role
of
the
quantum
capacitance
of
a
graphene
electrode when
interfaced
with
an
aqueous
solution
or
an
ionic liquid.
This
work
develops
the
macroscopic
and
microscopic
physics
of
graphene-based
field-effect
transistors
to
provide
the
theoretical
framework
for
the
advancement of
graphene-based
biochemical
sensors,
nanoporous
supercapacitors,
and
more.
In
2018,
Professor
Anita
Layton
was
named
Canada
150
Research
Chair
for
her
work
in
mathematical
biology
and
medicine,
with
$350,000
per
year
for
seven
years
to
support research
on
mathematical
and
computational
modelling of
blood
flow
dynamics
and
kidney
function.
Her
work
is
at
the
interface
of
applied
mathematics,
computation,
and
biological
science,
which
has
directly
and
positively
impacted
clinical
healthcare.
Professor Kohandel also investigates tumour microenvironments and the vascular network to determine new potential cancer treatments. Cancer cells can ‘hi-jack’ healthy blood vessels to create its own nutrient supply to grow, and insights into these mechanisms can improve treatment options to address these factors, such as combination therapies, trans-dermal treatments, and novel nanoparticlebased drug delivery for chemotherapies.
For more stories like this one, please see our 2018-2019 Annual Report.