Mabuchi - New Frontiers in Single-Molecule Spectroscopy

TEAM
BioDiscovery Tools

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Our group?s ICB-funded research focuses on reaching the physical limits of optical characterization of individual particles dissolved in aqueous liquid. Our results are applicable to selective and ultra-sensitive detection of pathogens or other trace materials in water. Any spectroscopic or optical imaging technique for particle characterization relies on illumination and collection/analysis of scattered photons; physical limits arise because any finite number of scattered photons has limited capacity for conveying information about the particle and because there are limits to illumination intensity (stemming from light-induced ?damage? or other irreversible photochemical processes). Our research group leverages expertise in quantum optics, precision measurement, and control theory to develop sophisticated new methodologies in the area of single-molecule fluorescence, including single-pair Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (spFRET) and tracking Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (tFCS).