Plasmonic sensing in extreme environments

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Plasmonics has become a mainstream research area in pure and applied sciences. The promise of sensitive and broadly applicable sensing devices led to the demonstration of plasmonic sensors in chemical, biological and environmental applications. My research program will focus on the development of plasmonic sensing in chemical analysis for the detection of molecules in whole blood, for monitoring cellular secretion events of cells and neurons, and for the detection of the building blocks of life in the potential sources of life, all unmet needs in chemical analysis. Whole blood sensing is one of the last barriers for the successful use of plasmonic sensors at the point-of-care. The complexity of whole blood challenges the molecular selectivity of plasmonic sensors. In the first research axis, we will develop the concept of microdialysis plasmonics for whole blood pre-processing for point-of-care sensing with surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of antibiotics and antibodies expressed in the course of the leukemia treatment directly in whole blood. The second research axis aims at monitoring molecules secreted by cells or neurons, a contemporary challenge in molecular sensing. We have recently introduced the concept of sensing with plasmonic nanopipettes, which are nanoscale capillaries decorated with gold nanoparticles for surface enhanced Raman scattering analysis (SERS). The molecules secreted by cells or neurons will interact with the plasmonic nanopipette and dynamic measurement of the SERS response will provide molecular information about the extracellular environment of cells and neurons. With the development of this technique, we aim at providing a quantitative tool to study the biology of neurological diseases. The origin of life is fascinating scientists and the general public. The last research axis will thus contribute to this field with the detection molecules at the origin of life in putative sources of life. The geochemical synthesis of the building blocks of life in hydrothermal vents or other geochemical sources is a possible source of life. Also, the recent report showing the spectroscopic signature of liquid water on Mars will launch a series of expeditions to study the content of the Martian water. I will develop plasmonic sensors enabling SERS measurements in extreme geochemical environments to identify and quantify the building blocks of life such as amino acids, sugars and other small molecules in hydrothermal vents conditions. The successful development of a SERS sensor for detecting the building blocks of life will ultimately facilitate the measurement of the composition of hydrothermal vent fluids or potentially on other planets with liquid water. This exciting research program on chemical analysis with plasmonics will provide new tools for point of care clinical diagnostics, for biomedical studies of cells and neurons and to contribute to the quest of the origin of life.