Physics Dept Seminar

March 3, Monday

THz Non-Destructive Evaluation of Biofluids for Cancer Detection using Chiral Reconfigurable Sensors

Dr. Samaneh Pakniyat

U. C. - Davis

(Optics, Host: Federici)

Time: 11:45 am - 12:45 pm with 11:30 am teatime

Room: ECE 202

Early and precise cancer detection is crucial for improving treatment outcomes and patient survival rates. Conventional diagnostic techniques, such as biopsies and imaging, are often invasive, time-consuming, and costly. Terahertz (THz) spectroscopy and imaging provide a non-destructive, label-free alternative, offering high sensitivity to water content and molecular structures in biological tissues. This project proposes a chiral nanocomposite-enhanced THz sensing platform to improve cancer diagnostics by leveraging the unique optical interactions of chiral materials with biomolecules.

We will integrate THz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) with chiral nanocomposite-based THz sensors to achieve enhanced spectral selectivity and sensitivity in distinguishing cancerous and healthy bio samples. Our approach includes i. establishing a THz spectral database for cancerous and healthy biofluids and cells, ii. developing a tunable THz imaging system utilizing chiral nanocomposites to improve contrast and selectivity, and iii. implementing machine learning algorithms for accurate classification based on THz spectral features. The chiral nanocomposite sensors will enable dynamic spectral adjustments, optimizing cancer biomarker detection in real-time.

By developing a portable, AI-integrated THz diagnostic tool, this research aims to revolutionize early-stage cancer screening with higher accuracy, non-invasiveness, and rapid analysis. Future directions include miniaturizing THz components for clinical applications and validating the platform for in vivo diagnostics, making it a transformative technology for global healthcare.