Multifunctional Nanoporous Gold Coatings and Neural Tissue Chips

Miniaturization technology and nanostructured materials have led to significant advances in many fields, including biomedical sciences. In this webinar hosted by the Optoelectronics Technical Group, Erkin Şeker will describe his research efforts to control nano-/micro-scale properties of nanoporous gold (np-Au), which had mostly attracted attention for catalysis applications while its biomedical applications were nascent.

Specifically, Prof. Şeker will discuss the development of np-Au-based multifunctional electrode arrays for monitoring/modulating neural activity and electrochemical nucleic acid sensors that can operate in complex biological matrices. Prof. Şeker will then discuss ongoing efforts toward implementing the described technologies into microfluidic tissue chips plated with primary rat cortical cells and vagal afferent neurons. The webinar will conclude by illustrating the versatility of the neural tissue chips for modeling various physiological phenomena broadly related to the gut-brain axis, neuroinflammation, and neurodegeneration.

Subject Matter Level: Advanced - Assumes a strong understanding of the topic

What You Will Learn:
• How does the integration of nanoporous gold (np-Au) in electrode arrays and nucleic acid sensors enhance their functionality in biomedical applications compared to other materials?
•How neural tissue chips are fabricated and what are some critical applications in neurophysiology?

Who Should Attend:
• Researchers and industry personal working optics, photonics, optoeletronics, and biomedical engineering
• Graduate students

About the Presenter: Erkin Şeker from University of California, Davis

Erkin Şeker is a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Co-Director for the Center for Neuroengineering and Medicine, and the Chair of the newly-established Designated Emphasis in Neuroengineering. His research and teaching interests are at the intersection of micro-/nano-technology and its applications to microelectronics and medicine. He received his PhD degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Virginia (UVA) in 2007 and held postdoctoral positions in the Department of Chemistry at UVA and at the Center for Engineering in Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. He is the recipient of a UC Davis – Graduate Studies Distinguished Graduate and Postdoctoral Mentorship Award, UC Davis – Academic Senate Distinguished Graduate and Professional Teaching Award, an NSF CAREER Award, and an NIH NIBIB.