Nano-Bio Hybrids and Viruses

Speaker: Dr. Mohamed S. Draz
Affiliation: Brigham and Women’s Hospital Harvard Medical School

Abstract: Viruses are one of the most common causes of infection in human. The implementation of accurate and sensitive detection methods has the potential to rapidly identify viruses and reduce the time and cost associated with advanced stages of virus infections. Nanoparticles can be surface engineered with different biomolecules including DNA, RNA, antibodies, and peptides. We have developed a number of new bioengineered nanoparticle systems for highly specific and sensitive detection of viruses. The core principle behind the pioneering sensing activity of these systems lies in combining the intrinsic photonic, electric and magnetic properties of nanoparticles with the molecular interaction specificity of various biomolecules. By integrating nanoparticles with cutting-edge technologies including microfluidics, consumer electronics, and biomolecular engineering, we have developed mobile health and point-of-care systems for the detection of HIV-1, Zika virus, and HPV genotyping. The developed systems are portable, allow rapid and easy detection of viruses, and have the potential to provide a cost-effective approach to expand diagnosis and treatment of viral infections.

Biography:  Dr. Mohamed Draz received his PhD from Zhejiang-California Nanosystem Institute in 2013. He joined Harvard as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in 2016 and started his faculty position as Instructor at the Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical school in 2018. His research was mainly focused on applying nano- and micro- technologies science to address challenging problems in biology and medicine. He is interested in developing bioengineered materials, point-of-care diagnostics, single-molecule assays, platforms for drug screening, mobile health systems, and nanoparticle therapeutics. Mohamed has over 8 years of research and teaching experience and has held different positions at the University of British Columbia, Zhejiang University and Tanta University. His research has resulted in publications in several journals, including Nature Communications, Science Translational Medicine, ACS Nano, Advanced Functional Materials, Theranostics, Lab-on-Chip, and Nanoscale as well as 5 patent and report of inventions, 2 book chapters, and +10 presentations in various conferences and institutions.

For more information, contact Prof. Aydogan Ozcan (ozcan@ucla.edu)

Date/Time:
Date(s) - May 07, 2019
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Location:
E-IV Tesla Room #53-125
420 Westwood Plaza - 5th Flr., Los Angeles CA 90095