Gili Bisker, Ph.D.
Senior Lecturer, Biomedical Engineering
Tel Aviv University
Speech Title:
Optical nanosensors in the near-infrared using fluorescent single-walled carbon nanotubes
Abstract:
Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have unique optical and physical properties, and they benefit from the ease of surface functionalization and biocompatibility. Semiconducting SWCNTs fluoresce in the near-infrared (nIR) part of the spectrum, which overlaps with the biological transparency window, where absorption, scattering, and autofluorescence are reduced. Upon tailored surface functionalization, SWCNTs can be used as nIR optical probes for imaging and sensing in biological samples, enabling real-time optical detection with both spatial and temporal resolution. She will present recent demonstrations of real-time feedback on insulin secretion by beta-cells using SWCNT sensors, real-time monitoring of enzymatic activity, in vivo imaging of fluorescent SWCNT within nematodes, and super-resolution imaging of SWCNTs. These results open new avenues for imaging and sensing in complex biological systems and hold great promise for biomedical applications.
Bio:
Gili Bisker is a Senior Lecturer at the Biomedical Engineering Department at Tel Aviv University, and she is a Zuckerman STEM Leadership Program Fellow. Before Joining Tel Aviv University, Gili worked at the MIT Chemical Engineering Department and at the MIT Physics Department as a postdoc. Gili holds a B.A. in Math and Physics as a graduate of the Technion Excellence Program, an M.Sc. in Physics, and a Ph.D. in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, all from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. Dr. Bisker received The Krill Prizes for Excellence in Scientific Research in 2022, and she was recently awarded the ERC Starting Grant.
