Srikanth Singamaneni

We design and synthesize novel plasmonic nanostructures and assemblies that greatly enhance Raman scattering and fluorescence of various (bio)chemical species in proximity to the nanostructures. The nanostructures can be tailored to sense and report specific (bio)chemical stimuli or molecular processes in both extra- and intracellular environments. The nanostructures also serve as ultrabright biolabels (nearly four orders of magnitude brighter than conventional fluorophores) that enable the detection and quantification of low-abundance biomolecules secreted by cells or present on the cell surface.  These advanced bioanalytical tools that harness the ability to confine and manipulate light at the nanoscale using plasmonic nanostructures are highly attractive for comprehensive characterization of complex and non-linear living systems.