Research

NANO BIO

To the student and the industry: CeNSE has a strong and active research program at the interface of nanotechnology and biology, bridging disciplines ranging from engineering (electrical, electronics, mechanical, materials), physics and chemistry to cell biology and biotechnology.

Prof. Ambarish Ghosh’s group works on developing theranostic (diagnosis and therapy) applications using remotely controlled nano-robots that can be navigated through living organisms. A major effort is to create “smart” nanorobots enabled with nano-scale sensors or delivery mechanisms to sense the local environment and respond in a collective manner.

Prof. Manoj Varma’s group is aiming to develop solid-state nanopores which are tiny pores (1-10 nm diameter) drilled on a thin membrane suspended in an electrolyte solution. The passage of single molecules through these pores creates current signals useful for sensing single molecules or sequencing DNA and proteins.

Prof. Navakanta Bhat’s group works in the area of electrochemical sensors. His group has a particular focus on diabetic health management using these sensors among other applications.

Prof. Prosenjit Sen works in the area of microfluidic applications in the bio-medical domain. His group has developed microfluidic devices to measure electrical and mechanical properties of single cells and a bio-printing methods which allows researchers to print “inks” with much higher solid-fraction than existing methods. Attempts are underway to use this printing method in applications such as organ-on-a-chip.

Prof. Vini Gautam’s team is engaged in creating nano-structured devices for applications in neuroscience. Specific research interests include the creation of devices that help in nerve growth and repair to address neuro-degenerative disorders, and devices that can stimulate and sense neuronal activity, for instance of cells in the brain or the retina.

Research activities in the nano-bio interface have a strong inter-disciplinary flavour with several faculty collaborators from multiple departments at IISc as well as from leading national and international groups. There is also active engagement with clinicians and medical professionals through collaborative programs. In addition, there is a conscious effort to translate the research output to the outside world. Research activities in Prof. Navakanta Bhat’s lab have led to the creation of “PathShodh” a start-up commercializing a unique multiplexed sensing platform for diabetic care. Another start-up called Theranautilus has emerged out of Prof. Ambarish Ghosh’s lab to commercialize nano-robot based systems for medical applications.

We have only provided a sub-set of activities pursued by the research groups working in CeNSE at the nano-bio interface. To know more information about specific projects, you are encouraged to write to the respective group leaders.