Photo: Steve Zylius, UCI
On the cover: Tiny, DNA-stabilized silver nanoclusters glow under UV light. Each nanocluster contains only 10 to 20 silver atoms wrapped in DNA. In the lab of Stacy Copp, researchers combine materials engineering and machine learning to develop these new nanoclusters as molecular probes for biomedical imaging and sensing applications, giving scientists the power to see deep into biological tissues and opening doors to enhanced methods of disease detection and treatment.
“There is untapped potential to extend the fluorescence of DNA-stabilized silver nanoclusters into the nearinfrared region,” says Copp, assistant professor of materials science and engineering. “The reason that is so interesting is because our biological tissues and fluids are much more transparent to near-infrared light than to visible light. These nanoclusters could enable new light-based technologies for imaging deep inside the body.”
May the New Year shine brightly with joy, harmony, inspiration, prosperity and success!
Here’s to new beginnings and endless possibilities.
Magnus Egerstedt, Ph.D.
Stacey Nicholas Dean of Engineering UCI Samueli School