Post-docs and students

Details: Alexia Bachir, Ph.D. Student

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Phone: (514) 398-7122
Location: McGill University
Otto Maass Bldg., Room 335B
801 Sherbrooke St. W.
Montreal - QC - H3A 2K6
Website: www.wiseman-group.mcgill.ca

Research : Bioconjunction of quantum dots for ICS-ICCS studies
(Co-advisors: Paul Wiseman - Peter Grütter)

Alexia Bachir joined Paul Wiseman's group in the fall of 2001 as a physical chemistry graduate student after earning a Bachelor's degree in chemistry form the American University of Beirut. Her project focuses on the use of semiconductor nanocrystals as biological labels to study the dynamics and interactions of Integrins and growth factor receptor proteins in live cells.

Semiconductor nanocrystals, more commonly known as quantum dots, have interesting photophysical properties and provide advantages over traditional organic fluorophores. For example, CdSe quantum dots capped with ZnS can be synthesized to emit over the range of the visible spectrum by controlling their diameter size. Their broad excitation spectra allows for simultaneous excitation of different QD's. The narrow emission spectra minimize spectral cross- talk between detection channels, which is a major limitation of ICCS experiments. In addition, they have high quantum yields, long fluorescence lifetimes and are resistant to photobleaching, which allows for longer imaging time windows. This is of great importance in cell surface studies of receptor dynamics, where the relevant time scales can be minutes to hours.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Bachir A.I, Durisic N., Hebert B., Grütter P.H. & Wiseman P.W. Image Correlation Spectroscopy Studies of Blinking Dynamics in Semiconductor Quantum Dots. Appl. Phys. Lett. In Press

MEETINGS

Bachir A.I., Durisic N., Hebert B., Grütter P. & Wiseman P.W. (2005) Image Correlation Studies of Quantum Dot Blinking and Diffusion. Photonics North, Toronto, ON.

Bachir, A.I., Durisic, N., Wiseman, P.W. (2004) Image correlation studies of quantum dot blinking and diffusion: a potential method for rapid transport measurement in cells. Canada Nanoscience & Nanotechnology Forum, Edmonton, AB