(3dl) New Organic Semiconductors for Electronics, Optoelectronics, and Biomaterials

Organic semiconductors have attracted significant interest due to their potential application in low cost plastic electronics, solar cells and biomaterials. The ability to engineer the electronic structures of organic semiconductors using molecular design and synthesis and understand structure-property relationships are essential for developing novel materials for the next generation high-performance organic electronics, and biomaterials. My graduate research was focused on the design and synthesis of new classes of p-/n-type organic semiconductors, understand factors that determine their self-assembly and morphology, elucidate structure-property relationship that govern their electronic and optoelectronic properties and explore their application in field-effect transistors, light-emitting diodes and solar cells. My postdoctoral work is focused on the design of highly fluorescent conjugated polymer nanoparticles for biosensor application, bioimaging and in vivo target drug delivery. The highly emissive NPs are developed as selective nanoprobes for DNA detection via a turn-on transduction mechanism. In addition, the NPs were also found to be effective for in vivo imaging and targeting tumor cells. As an independent investigator, my research interests broadly include: (i) the design of new organic materials, (ii) understanding self-assembly of organic nanostructures, and (iii) material applications ranging from biomaterials (biological imaging, drug targeted delivery, biosensors), to photovoltaic cells, and energy storage.