Welcome to the Soft Nanomaterials Laboratory
Our research interests are focused at the intersection of organic and plasmonic nanomaterials. We aim at rational integration of organic (polymeric, biological) materials and plasmonic nanostructures to realize multifunctional materials. Organic materials with responsive and self-assembling properties combined with functional plasmonic nanostructures that exhibit unique optical properties form a powerful materials platform for a wide variety of applications including plasmonic photovoltaics, chemical and biological sensors, adaptive materials, non- or minimally-invasive bioimaging and therapy.
Spring 2018, group photo
Ryan’s graduation May 2021
Specific research interests include:
- Plasmonic biosensors for point-of-care and resource-limited settings.
- Unconventional approaches for the fabrication highly efficient surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and metal-enhanced fluorescence substrates for ultrasensitive detection of chemical and biological analytes.
- Hierarchical assembly of plasmonic nanostructures into functional superstructures using self-assembling properties of organic materials (e.g., block copolymers, amphiphilic molecules).
- Metal-organic frameworks as encapsulants for preserving the structure and function of various biomolecules subjected to harsh environmental conditions (e.g., high temperature, organic solvents, and mechanical agitation).
- Novel materials and methods for water filtration, wastewater treatment and solar steam generation.
Srikanth Singamaneni, PhD
Lilyan & E. Lisle Hughes Professor
Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science
Email: singamaneni@wustl.edu
Ph: 314-935-5407