Research aims at solving the problem of real-time monitoring and controlling of waterborne and infectious diseases in areas with limited resources and in communities at high risk. This is achieved by developing biosensing assays and integrating them into portable point-of-care devices based on smartphones. When made available to relief workers, the work could pinpoint the geographical source of outbreaks, which would facilitate remediation and could also enable civil society and governments to prepare fast and effective contingency plans. Another project is developing fluorescence-based sensors to monitor temperature diffusion at the nano- and micro-scale level. This technology is allowing to unravel the mechanism of heat generated by magnetic nanoparticles used in cancer thermal therapy. Also investigating the heat generated by microelectronic devices used in computers and cell phones, for example, to potentially optimize their performance and reduce their energy consumption. Work is conducted by students with a multi-disciplinary background and through collaborations with colleagues in the Medical School and the Faculty of Engineering.
