(3ci) Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Dynamics in Simple and Complex Media

Biological systems possess properties such as the capability to self-heal and adapt, which sets new horizons for materials engineering. The long-term goal of my research is to develop smart materials that incorporate dynamic and structural properties of complex biological systems while being robust and minimalistic in composition and design.

During my PhD work in Matteo Pasquali’s lab, in the Chemical Engineering Department at Rice University, I employed visualization and analysis tools combined with theoretical modeling to study transport and diffusion of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) in simple and complex soft condensed matter systems.  Understanding the dynamics of SWNTs in such environments is crucial for establishing the potential of these nanostructures as both probes in biological systems and building blocks in soft materials.

During my postdoc in Christoph Schmidt’s lab in University of Göttingen, Germany, I have been expanding my scope towards molecular and cellular biology and non-equilibrium soft matter. I am developing the application of SWNTs as probes with unique capabilities to study biological systems ranging from cytoskeleton networks via single cells to whole organisms (C-elegans).