May 13 @ 11AM - NanoFANS VIRTUAL EVENT “Point-of-Care Diagnostics via DNA-Based Isothermal Amplification and Paper Test”

VIRTUAL EVENT

“Point-of-Care Diagnostics via DNA-Based Isothermal Amplification and Paper Test”

Gabe Kwong - Professor of Biomedical Engineering;
Georgia Institute of Technology

Date: May 13, 2020
Time: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (EDT)

Abstract: The current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has highlighted the importance for rapid testing to track and contain the outbreak of infectious diseases. Current tests rely on RT-qPCR which requires a thermocycler and limits point-of-care (POC) use. POC tests that can amplify signals without specialized instrumentation could be deployed for rapid screening and reach a broader segment of the population. Here we will highlight strategies for isothermal amplification to allow major classes of biomarkers – including nucleic acids, proteins, and cells – to be detected with minimal sample processing. Central to our strategy is taking advantage of enzymatic turnover, such as with proteases or Cas12a, to amplify detection signals. We aim to adapt these methods with paper-based assays to allow visualization of test results by eye. These strategies are generalization to a broad range of diseases to increase access to POC testing.

Bio: Dr. Kwong is an Associate Professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory. His lab pioneers transformative biotechnologies to address frontier clinical challenges in cancer, organ transplant rejection, and infectious diseases. His work has published in leading scientific journals and featured by the media including The Economist, NPR, BBC, and WGBH-2, Boston’s PBS station. Dr. Kwong earned his B.S. with Highest Honors from UC Berkeley, his Ph.D. from Caltech with Professor James R. Heath, and conducted postdoctoral studies at MIT with Professor Sangeeta N. Bhatia. In recognition of his work, Dr. Kwong has been honored with selective distinctions including the Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Award and the NIH Director’s New Innovator Award. Dr. Kwong co-founded Glympse Bio in 2015, and holds 20+ issued or pending patents in biomedical technology.

Please register in advance to receive the meeting URL:

https://tinyurl.com/nanofanswebinar

Spring 2020 NANOFANS

Spring 2020 NanoFANS (Focusing on Advanced Nanobio- Systems) program will be offered in a weekly webinar format during the month of May. The focus of this event will be “Nanotechnology in Infectious Diseases (Diagnostics/Therapeutics).”

Upcoming Event Speakers:

May 20: Susan Thomas - Professor of Mechanical Engineering; Georgia Institute of Technology "Engineered Biomaterials Reveal Viral Immunity Mechanisms and Augment Therapy”
May 27: M.G. Finn Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry; Georgia Institute of Technology “Virus-Like Particle Approaches to Coronavirus Diagnostics and Vaccines”

Please click the link: https://tinyurl.com/spring2020nanofansforum
to learn more about the webinar dates, read the talk abstracts & speaker bios, and register to attend.

SENIC Technical Webinar - Photolithography at GT-IEN: An Overview of Processes and Equipment

Hang Chen, Ph.D. - Senior Research Scientist; Process Support Manager, Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology @ Georgia Tech

Date: May 14, 2020
Time: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (EDT)

Abstract: Photolithography has always been the most important technique in microelectronics fabrication. It uses light to transfer a geometric pattern from a photomask (also called an optical mask) to a photosensitive (that is, light-sensitive) chemical photoresist on the substrate, or it can be directly written with a UV-laser equipment. It provides precise control of the shape and size of the objects it creates and can create patterns over an entire surface cost-effectively. The Georgia Tech Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology (IEN) cleanroom provides various types of photolithography equipment to satisfy different processing needs. Each tool has its own unique characteristics and serves different purposes. In this seminar, a brief introduction to the equipment and patterning capabilities of the IEN will be presented. Common processing issues related to photolithography will also be discussed.

Bio: Dr. Hang Chen received his bachelor and master degrees in chemistry from Fudan University in Shanghai, China. He obtained his doctorate, also in chemistry, from Georgia Tech in 2005 and was a post-doc at the Nanotechnology Research Center before joining the IEN as a Research Scientist in 2008. Currently, he is the process support manager at IEN. His research interests include chemically sensitive field-effect transistors, MEMS-CMOS device integration, and organic electronics.

Participants are requested to register in advance so that we will be able to understand the technological background and needs of the audience, as well as to send timely webinar reminders.

Click Here to Access the Registration Link:
https://tinyurl.com/IENexperts2

Upcoming Technical Seminars

The Southeastern Nanotechnology Infrastructure Corridor (SENIC), housed at the Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology at Georgia Tech, is hosting a series of online technical seminars open to the academic and industrial community with an interest in cleanroom fabrication and processing for materials, biological, and electronics research.

We invite you to join us at any of the lectures listed below by registering at the link at the bottom of the email.

May 21: "Laser Micromachining at GT-IEN" (Mr. Richard Shafer)
May 28: "Etching at GT-IEN: A Review of Processes and Equipment" (Dr. Mikkel Thomas)

The Series full abstracts and biographies may be found at this link.

Please feel free to forward this webinar announcement to your colleagues who may benefit from the event.

Click Here to Access the Registration Link:
https://tinyurl.com/IENexperts2

- Sincerely, the SENIC Support Team