Project description

Our group has developed nanoplasmonic biosensors with single-molecule sensitivity based on label-free detection and plasmon-enhanced fluorescence. These sensors currently probe biomolecular interactions on timescales of milliseconds to hours, and are used for biosensing purposes. The ultimate goal of this project is to develop an optical platform to study biomolecular processes on drastically shorter, nano- to microsecond timescales. This enables a new realm of applications because these sensors will reveal conformational dynamics, transient interactions, and folding on currently inaccessible timescales. You will be responsible for the design and biochemical functionalization of the nanosensor, and you will perform optical experiments and data analysis.

Embedding

The project is part of the ERC Consolidator grant MultiSense, which aims to expand the single-molecule toolbox by developing multi-color nanophotonic sensors for fast (nano- to microsecond) processes. As part of MultiSense, you will collaborate with three previously employed members with a physics and biomedical engineering background.

About the group

You will be supervised by Peter Zijlstra, who leads the Molecular Plasmonics group at the Department of Applied Physics. Our group is part of the Molecular Biosensing research cluster (~40 researchers) that shares facilities and meets weekly. We perform leading research on optical single-molecule sensing technologies, focusing on nanoplasmonic and nanophotonic sensors. Our multidisciplinary team hosts physicists, chemists, and biomedical engineers collaborating in a close-knit team. Our lab hosts a range of state-of-the-art single-molecule microscopes in optical laboratories and wet-chemical labs where sensors are functionalized and integrated with fluidics.