Raman-Based Cell Sorting

A Raman-based cell sorting platform offers a direct and efficient method for isolating individual cells based on their functional properties. These properties encompass cell metabolisms (e.g., metabolic activities and functional roles within their complex communities or habitats) and their interactions with other cells (e.g., hosts, prey, predators) and environments (e.g., human intestine, seawater, freshwater, soil, air). Our research aims to establish a direct link between cell functions and their genomes. To achieve this, individual cells are sorted using our platform, followed by downstream -omics analysis of the sorted cells.

Detection of Pathogens Using Raman Nanoprobes

Functional nanoprobes are utilized to detect and identify target microorganisms, such as pathogenic bacteria and viruses. Our research aims to synthesize nanoprobes that generate Raman signals for the detection of these target microorganisms. The narrow bandwidth of the Raman signals (on the order of a few nanometers) is beneficial for multiplexing, allowing for the simultaneous detection of diverse types of target microorganisms. This approach is applicable to public health, enabling the early detection and warning of pathogenic microbes that cause infectious diseases in highly populated urban areas or hospitals.

Reconfigurable Optofluidic Cell Sorting

Optofluidics technologies provide an efficient means to integrate fluidic and optical components into a single system. We aim to use this optofluidic platform to sort cells based on their refractive index, an important physical property that determines the physiological states of microorganisms. For the sorting process, we employ optical force - a piconewton (pN)-order force arising from the interaction between a laser and the cell. Depending on the refractive index contrast between the working fluid and the suspended cells, the direction of the optical force varies, enabling the binary sorting of cells into high-refractive-index and low-refractive-index categories.

Phenotyping Microorganisms

Phenotyping refers to the investigation of observable traits or characteristics of microorganisms, which result from the interaction of their genetic makeup (genotype) with other microorganisms and the environment. Our research aims to utilize state-of-the-art technologies, such as Raman microspectroscopy, fluorescence microscopy, and pulse-amplitude modulated chlorophyll fluorometry microscopy, for the precise measurement of cell phenotypes at the single-cell level. These phenotypes include the degradation of specific chemical compounds by bacteria (i.e., cell catabolism) and the photosynthetic efficiency of microalgae (i.e., photo-physiology). These measurements are applied in fields such as energy harvesting and food resources - bioproduction.