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 The Application of Molecular and Nanomaterial Systems to the Detection and Treatment of Cancer
Jin Zhang , Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry
The Zhang research group is interested in the application of molecular and nanomaterial systems in conjunction with optical spectroscopy and related techniques for biomedical detection and treatment, with emphasis on cancer therapies and cancer biomarker detection. Specific projects include: 1) investigation of mechanisms of photodynamic therapy and catalytic therapy based on porphyrins, phthalocyanines, and related compounds; 2) detection of small molecule, protein, and DNA cancer biomarkers using fluorescence based on quantum dots (QDs) and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) based on metal nanostrutcures; and 3) photothermal imaging and therapy of cancer using unique metal nanostructures. This research involves systematic study of the structural, optical, and photophysical as well as photochemical properties of the materials using a combination of microscopy, x-ray, spectroscopy, and electrochemistry techniques. |
