Seminar by Dr. Patience Mthunzi 'Biomedical Applications of Lasers in Biophotonics'

Speaker:
Dr. Patience Mthunzi
Senior Scientist Researcher and Principal Investigator
National Laser Centre, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
South Africa

Seminar Title:
‘Biomedical Applications of Lasers in Biophotonics'

Seminar Abstract:
Through use of laser light, it is possible to aseptically and non-invasively micro-manipulate mammalian cells from different tissue of origin. Successful optical manipulation can therefore advance embryonic stem cell research, neurodegenerative disorder studies, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) investigations and cancer research sciences. Studies toward the interaction of laser light, nanomaterials and biological materials can also lead to an understanding of a wealth of disease conditions and result in photonics-based therapies and diagnostic tools. Thus in our work, lasers of different regimes and wavelengths are employed as they possess special properties that allow classical biomedical applications. In this talk; firstly, optical transfection and differentiation of embryonic stem cells using different femtosecond laser wavelengths will be presented. Secondly, somatic and dendritic phototransfection of neuroblastoma cells on graphene substrates will be shown. Thirdly, using novel beam lattices photo-translocation of antiretroviral drugs into HIV-1 permissive cells is given. Finally, optical trapping and sorting of cancerous from healthy ones is demonstrated.