Nanomedicine, regenerative medicine, molecular imaging, bio-inspired materials and systems, nanomaterials, smart materials, controlled release, colloidal science, catalysis, and fuel cell technology.

By harnessing the power of nanomaterials, we will be able to radically change the way diseases are diagnosed and treated in a clinic, and to develop new tools and methods for biomedical research in a laboratory.

We invented a novel class of nanomaterials known as gold nanocages, which can be considered as single-crystal nanoboxes with empty interiors and porous walls. Significantly, the wall thickness of a gold nanocage can be readily controlled to tune its optical absorption/scattering peak into the near-infrared region where soft tissues are highly transparent. As a multifunctional nanomaterial, gold nanocages are well-suited for a range of biomedical applications. For example, they can serve as superior contrast agents for molecular imaging based on optical, X-ray, and photo-acoustic methods. They can also absorb near-infrared light and convert the photons into heat with extremely high efficiency. When they are attached to the surface of cancer cells, the photothermal effect provides an effective and selective means to kill cancer cells without using any anticancer drug. In addition, the hollow and porous nature of a gold nanocage can be employed to develop a delivery system capable of releasing life-saving medicines precisely when and where they are needed.

We developed a technique known as electrospinning for producing nanofibers from various functional materials. We are now exploring the use of these nanofibers as scaffolds for regenerative medicine, where elements of scaffold design, cellular control, and signaling are integrated to enhance healing or replacement of an injured tissue or organ. In particular, we are advancing this field by bringing all different kinds of controls into the design and fabrication of nanofiber-based scaffolds, including their porosity, pore structure, mechanical property, structural order, surface chemistry, degradation profile, and capability to release growth factors. By combining with stem cell technology, we are working towards the regeneration of nerves, dural tissues, tendons, and the tendon-to-bone insertion site.

In terms of nanomaterial synthesis, we aim to bring revolutionary advances to this field by developing new tools and methods capable of capturing, identifying, and quantifying the nuclei (small clusters) and seeds that bridge atomic species, and nanocrystals. This research requires the integration of chemical synthesis, theoretical modeling, cluster speciation, and spectroscopy/microscopy analysis. It will provide an atomistic picture of the evolution pathway from atoms to clusters and nanocrystals, as well as the design rules for synthesizing nanocrystals with precisely controlled electronic, magnetic, catalytic, and optical properties. The ultimate goal of this work is to build a scientific base for the large-scale production of nanocrystals with the desired properties for applications in areas as diverse as electronics, photonics, catalysis, fuel cell technology, and biomedical research.

I was attracted by the concept behind Georgia Research Alliance and the great opportunity to establish a program on nanomedicine, which will enable us to translate our fundamental research on nanomaterial synthesis into something useful to our society. The strategic vision conveyed by the upper administration, the excellent infrastructure for doing research, the superb quality of students, and the collegiality at Georgia Tech are some other attractive features that convinced me to make this move.