The field of biomedical optics and spectroscopy has expanded due to the technological advances in optical instrumentation and label-free imaging methodologies for clinical applications. While these photonics approaches provide more in-depth insight into molecular, cellular, and sometimes even into tissue-level processes, their translation from the bench to the bed-side has met substantive hurdles stemming from the lack of integrative solutions that address the experimental, analytical and clinical phases. We will employ vibrational spectroscopy, in conjunction with plasmonics and machine learning algorithms, to comprehensively tackle the multi-dimensional analytical and clinical problems comprehensively

Nanotechnology has ushered in a new era in engineering multifunctional nanoparticles for improved cancer diagnosis and therapy, incorporating both contrast agents for imaging and therapeutics into so-called theranostic nanoparticles. Our research efforts are focussed on developing smart nanoparticle-based platforms for diagnosis and treatment, which will simultaneously enable a comprehensive understanding of systems-level biology and disease pathways.

One of the current upcoming techniques to control cell behavior is optobiology or optogenetics, which has seen a boom in the past decade. The use of photonic tools has not only allowed high-resolution imaging of the structure and function of neurons but also holds promise for manipulating non-neural systems. Our lab is involved in developing new kinds of nano constructs for activation and modulation of therapeutically essential proteins for applications in optobiology.