Research

Single-Molecule Blinking

Fluorescence imaging at the single-molecule level (yes, one molecule at at time) can elucidate biological and materials structures and processes at unprecedented resolution. In this new project, we study and harness the intrinsic fluctuations between bright (on) and dark (off) events ("blinking") to understand the properties of each molecule and its nanoenvironment. We collaborate with the Harbron lab, which develops designer dyes encoded with special fluorescence properties especially for this purpose!

Recent article: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.analchem.5c06137

Art Conservation

Owing to its exquisite sensitivity and selectivity, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is increasingly used to study cultural heritage objects. In collaboration with the paintings conservation lab at Colonial Williamsburg and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, we develop and apply SERS-based methods to identify fugitive (fading) pigments in precious works of art. More recently, we are deploying our blinking-based identification approach to study single dye molecules in cultural heritage materials!

Former Project: Solar Energy Conversion

Electron transfer (ET) processes dictate the efficiency of materials and devices that are used to harness solar energy. We investigate ET processes in organic-based materials for solar energy conversion using single-molecule fluorescence. Robust statistical analysis and computational modeling support the experiments.

Recent article: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acs.jpcc.1c07597

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