Research:

Nanoprobe Design and Optimization for Biological/Materials Applications

Passive and reactive molecular and quantum dot (metallic and semiconductor) nanoprobes, generally referred to as fluors, have shown great promise as localized reporters in a range of in vitro biochemical and materials systems. The individual fluor represents the highest possible spatial resolution for chemical processes within a sample. However, in order to achieve sufficient signal-to-noise for single fluor imaging/spectroscopy in complicated materials and biological systems, where the main source of signal is often from background radiation, nanoprobes must be specifically designed taking into account their intrinsic photophysics as well as any potential influences of the system of interest. A broad range of techniques are being employed with the eventual goal of controlling photophysical processes of fluors such as photo-stability, excited state dynamics (i.e. lifetime and triplet dynamics), conformational fluctuations in absorption and emission properties, and environmental (chemical) sensitivity and specificity.

FBRI Interview July 30, 2007

http://efolio.umeedu.maine.edu/~tvassiliev/FBRI/Investigators/Mason.m4a