Professor Jiho Park’s research team was successful in receiving minute optical signals from inside the cell using optical nano fibers.
Through the invention of this technology, we can now look inside cells in high resolution without the use of equipment such as endoscopes that damage cells. We will be able to study the biological phenomena within cells, and thus cure diseases more effectively.
Recently, ultra high resolution microscopes have been used to analyze incubated cells. However, because of the need for a very complex and large system, it had been impossible to monitor cells in the less transparent areas of the body in real time.
The research team created the wire with a semiconductor created with tin oxides to be only 100 nanometers in diameter (1nanometer= 1/1billion meters).
The nanowire is connected to the end of the optical fiber, and the light that comes through the optical fiber is transmitted to particular spots in the cell, and the optical signals from the cell are retrieved back from the cell as well
Together with this, based on the fact that nanowires do not damage cells, the research team covered the end of the wire with a photo reactive material and entered this into the cell. They were able to check that the material reacted to light and entered the cell when they transmitted light
Accordingly, this showed the possibilities of the use of this technology as a method of treatment to effectively transfer the medication into the cells.
Prof. Jiho Park stated that “in this research, we only used cells incubated outside the human body, but soon we will use this technology to stimulate and control cells within the body in a minute scale” as well as that “soon, we will be able to study the biological phenomena inside a cell to study diseases and apply this to cure them more effectively”.
This research result has been published in the online publication of ‘Nature Nanotechnology’ on December 18.
This study was done through the cooperation of various schools. Besides Prof. Jiho Park, Prof. Seungman Yang from the Biochemistry department, and Doctor Chuljoon Huh from KAIST, Prof. Yeonho Choi from Biomedical Science department of Korea University, Professor Peidon Yang and Doctor Ruoxue Yan from UC Berkeley’s chemistry department, and Luke Lee from UC Berkeley’s bioengineering department participated in the project.