University of Texas
Optical Spectroscopy Laboratory
Faculty
I received my Diploma Degree in Physics in 1987 from the Moscow Engineering-Physics Institute, Moscow, Russia. I obtained my Ph.D. in Biophysics in 1992 from Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia. My dissertation centered on novel biomedical applications of surface-enhanced Raman (SERS) and surface-enhanced resonance Raman spectroscopy (SERRS). Subsequently, I worked at the Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Biorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia, where I continued my research on structure-functional characterization and ultrasensitive detection of biomolecules by SERS and SERRS. During my employment at the Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute, I received two fellowships from the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) to perform collaborative work in France. My collaboration with Dr. Michel Manfait at Reims University, Reims, France was focused on characterization of interactions between anticancer drugs and DNA molecules in vitro and inside single living cells using laser macro and microspectroscopic techniques. In 1994 I joined Dr. Therese Cotton’s group at Iowa State University to carry out research in the area of bioanalytical applications of surface-enhanced spectroscopies. My research was focused on development of new bioanalytical methods and approaches (especially for immunoassays and DNA probes) based on unique physico-chemical properties of silver and gold nanoparticles, and employing laser spectroscopies as the methods of detection.
Since August of 1998 I am an Associate Researcher in Dr. Rebecca Richards-Kortum’s lab. It is been great! I am exploring the use of polarization reflectance spectroscopy for earlier detection of cervical neoplasia. I am also developing realistic tissue phantoms based on collagen gels, cells encapsulated in the gels, and cells growing on the top of the collagen matrixes. These phantoms should provide us with better understanding of the optical properties of an epithelial tissue.