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Colloquium Series: Dr. Yuanwei Li, Stanford University

Tuesday, February 4 @ 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm


Dr. Yuanwei Li
Stanford Science Fellow of Material Science and Engineering
Stanford University
Title: Sculpting Light at the Nanoscale: Chemical Pathways to Nanophotonics and Biosensing

Abstract:

Nanophotonics leverages the remarkable ways in which light interacts with matter at the nanoscale, unlocking transformative opportunities in sensing, catalysis, and beyond. However, a key challenge remains in the inverse design and synthesis of nanophotonic structures with functionalities precisely tailored to specific chemical and biological applications. In this talk, I will introduce two complementary strategies for advancing nanophotonic design and applications by engineering light-matter interactions. First, I will present a bottom-up approach that develops anisotropic nanoparticle synthesis and DNA-mediated assembly to construct customized porous photonic crystals. This method enables the programming of structure-function relationships in nanomaterials, leading to extraordinary optical phenomena such as perfect absorption and negative refraction. Next, I will explore the intersection of light and life, focusing on the development of nanophotonic biosensing platforms. By integrating modular DNA aptamer probes with nanophotonic resonators, we establish optical sensors capable of continuous, multiplexed monitoring of neurological and stress-related biomolecules, including metabolites and nucleic acids, which paves the way for early diagnostics and personalized therapeutics. Together, these approaches illustrate how the integration of chemical synthesis, crystal engineering, and precision nanofabrication can yield nano-architected photonic materials to address key challenges in health and sustainability.

Bio:

Yuanwei Li is a Stanford Science Fellow working with Prof. Jennifer Dionne at Stanford University. She focuses on developing new nanophotonic platforms for biosensing and photocatalysis. In 2023, she received her PhD in Chemical and Biological Engineering from Northwestern University as a Ryan Fellow under the guidance of Prof. Chad Mirkin. Her graduate research focused on the programmable assembly of nanoparticles into colloidal crystals with precisely tailored chemical, optical, and mechanical properties. Her work has been published in Nature, Science, and Science Advances. For her research, she received the MRS Graduate Student Award, the Outstanding Research Award from the International Institute for Nanotechnology, the SPIE Optics and Photonics Education Scholarship, and has been named a Rising Star by programs at MIT, the University of Chicago, and UC San Diego.

Details

Date:
Tuesday, February 4
Time:
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
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