Professor Vahid Sandoghdar
Physical Chemistry Seminar
Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light and Max-Planck-Zentrum fuer Physik and Medizin
Description
Title: Ultrasensitive Analysis of Nano-Matter via Scattering: From Single Proteins and Viruses to Sub-Cellular Features
Abstract: The last two decades have witnessed the insatiable potential of optical techniques for sensitive studies. Optical detection of small nanoparticles and single molecules have often relied on fluorescence, but limited photophysics and the need for labeling pose severe restrictions for the broad application of this approach. The ubiquitous process of Rayleigh scattering offers a powerful alternative. Although the common intuition might be that detection of individual nanoparticles and single molecules is not within reach via the measurement of their Rayleigh scattering, interferometric scattering (iSCAT) microscopy introduced in 2004 has demonstrated the contrary. Indeed, it is
now possible to reach a remarkable sensitivity in real-time detection down to single unlabeled proteins as light as 10 kDa. In this presentation, I will discuss the most recent advances in iSCAT analysis, including new applications to in nanoparticle sizing and three-dimensional imaging and tracking of sub-cellular structures in live cells.