(6gb) Building Autonomous Nanomachines at the Interface of Colloids and Electronics | AIChE

(6gb) Building Autonomous Nanomachines at the Interface of Colloids and Electronics

Authors 

Research Interests:

Nanotechnology is set to revolutionize our world. However, nano is currently limited to passive or, at best, stimuli-responsive materials, such as sensors and cargo release particles. But this only scratches the surface. We see the future with complex nanomachines that have computational power on-board, are capable of patching microwounds, repairing cells, performing nanosurgeries, digging nanoholes, and making autonomous decisions based on the specific situation they have encountered.

What? We aspire to develop principles and materials for a broad class of micro and nanomachines that sense, actuate, compute, and communicate in various environments that are too small or too dangerous for humans and bigger robots. We focus on three areas: (1) Communication – how to deliver energy and information to a remote nanoscale probe? Nano produces a lot of sensors, but we need novel photonic ideas to enable their usage in vivo. (2) Design – how can we create multi-functional probe with a scalable architecture? Nano makes a lot of particles, but decisively not in the form of scalable machines with computation. (3) Applications – what are the unique applications of these probes?

How? We are bringing nanophotonic and optoelectronic expertise into the field of chemical engineering. For communication, we are choosing light as it brings power and information to remote locations with ultimately the highest bandwidth possible. We have recently created a novel photonic approach allowing to transmit light up to 4.5 cm into the living tissue [1]. This will enable future machines to operate deep inside the body to perform nanosurgeries, deep phenotyping, and other functions. The work included fluorescent sensors implantation into phantom tissues and living mice, building a novel optical setup, and Monte Carlo simulations of light in random media.

For design, we are merging energy-efficient but limited in functions colloidal particles with energy-thirsty but modular in design electronic circuits. We have recently created the first cell-sized state machine capable of recording and storing the information about its environment [2]. This constitutes a modular and scalable platform that will be expanded to accommodate various elements in order to achieve applications at hand. This pursuit was based on the clean room fabrication techniques and 2D materials, and included their optoelectronic characterization.

For applications, we are using nanosensors to study plants in the approach termed plant nanobionics. We have recently created the first electromechanical sensor to directly measure plant stomatal dynamics. It successfully reveals plant diurnal cycles and can identify the onset of drought [3]. This expands our expertise into a unique direction of biosystems where complex nanomachines will be injected into. This pursuit included the development of plant epidermal electronics, studies of nanomaterial interactions with living cells, and building a mathematical model of stomatal dynamics.

Publications (total 40 with 7 in review)

[1] V.B. Koman, N. Bakh, F. Nguyen, D. Kozawa, M. Lee, G. Bisker, M.S. Strano, Wavelength Modulation of Fluorescent Nanosensors for High SNR Operation in Thick Tissue, Nature Biomedical Engineering, Submitted (2019).

[2] V.B. Koman, P.Liu, D. Kozawa, A.T. Liu, A.L. Cottrill, Y. Son, J.A. Lebron, M.S. Strano, Colloidal nanoelectronic state machines based on 2D materials for aerosolizable electronics, Nature Nanotechnology, 13, 819–827 (2018).

[3] V. B. Koman, T.T.S. Lew, M.H. Wong, S.Y. Kwak, J.P. Giraldo, M.S. Strano, Persistent drought monitoring using a microfluidic-printed electro-mechanical sensor of stomata in planta, Lab on a Chip 17(23), 4015-4024 (2017).

Teaching Interests:

In my future work, I will develop an educational program that will immerse students in the science through hands-on experience and problem-based learning. One important aspect that I plan to incorporate in the course development is the backward design principle, where one starts from the desired learning outcomes, determines the scoring system, and, finally, plans the learning experiences and instructions. Besides the clear focus on achievements of the postulated goals, such approach also brings clarity to students on what is expected from them and what they should focus on. At the same time, I will carefully look out for indicators of ersatz learning. Following my research, my teaching will be focused on materials and machines at the nanoscale, how different physical laws scale down to the nanoscale, etc. I also plan to contribute with 2D materials course that will cover the basics of different 2D materials, their fabrications methods followed by chemical, electronic, mechanical, thermal, and other exciting properties that they have to offer. Finally, I am open to teach various courses from Chemical Engineering.

I have completed Kaufman Teaching Certificate Program at MIT, mentored multiple undergrad and graduate students, and taught courses both at MIT and EPFL.