Im Lab

Read Bio

Phone: 617-643-5679

Photonics, plasmonics and novel materials

Our lab develops novel devices and applications using state-of the art nanoplasmonic and photonic sensors. We also develop new materials to expand the utility of these sensors. Our vision is to bridge the fields of engineering and medicine for next-generation diagnostic technologies. Based on physics and basic in nature, our ultimate goal is clinical translation.

Recent Publications

  • Lee SE, Jeong SE, Hong JS, Im H, Hwang SY, Oh JK, Kim SE Gold-Nanoparticle-Coated Magnetic Beads for ALP-Enzyme-Based Electrochemical Immunosensing in Human Plasma. Materials (Basel). 2022;15:6875 - DOI: 10.3390/ma15196875

  • Jeong MH, Han H, Lagares D, Im H Recent Advances in Molecular Diagnosis of Pulmonary Fibrosis for Precision Medicine. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci. 2022;5(8):520-538 - PMID: 35983278 - PMCID: PMC9379941 - DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.2c00028

  • Chin LK, Li H, Choi JH, Iwamoto Y, Oh J, Min J, Beak SK, Yoo D, Castro CM, Lee D, Im H Hydrogel Stamping for Rapid, Multiplexed, Point-of-Care Immunostaining of Cells and Tissues. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2022;14(24):27613-27622 - PMID: 35671240 - DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c05071

  • Kim K, Son T, Hong JS, Kwak TJ, Jeong MH, Weissleder R, Im H Physisorption of Affinity Ligands Facilitates Extracellular Vesicle Detection with Low Non-Specific Binding to Plasmonic Gold Substrates. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2022;:ePub - PMID: 35653580 - DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c07317

  • Peterson HM, Chin LK, Iwamoto Y, Oh J, Carlson JCT, Lee H, Im H, Weissleder R Integrated Analytical System for Clinical Single-Cell Analysis. Adv Sci (Weinh). 2022;9(20):e2200415 - PMID: 35508767 - PMCID: PMC9284190 - DOI: 10.1002/advs.202200415

  • More publications ...

Research projects

Nanoplasmonic sensing


  • Multiplexed exosome analysis
  • Single molecular detection
Microholography


  • Advanced photonics diagnostics
  • Integrated portable imaging system
Nanospectroscopy


  • Chip-based nano-spectroscopy sensing
  • Integrated with deep learning-based data analysis
Nanophotonics


  • Next-generation optical sensing system
  • High-throughput, low-cost chip fabrication
Nano-plasmonic sensors

In the past, we have developed nanoplasmonic sensing systems (nPLEX/NPS) for exosome analysis in cancer. Ongoing projects are in the fields of highly multiplexed exosome analysis as well as for single molecule analysis.

The nPLEX sensor was highlighted as one of the greatest hits among 20 years of Nature Biotechnology biomedical research.
  • Yang KS*, Im H*, Hong S*, Pergolini I, Del Castillo AF, Wang R, Clardy S, Huang CH, Pille C, Ferrone S, Yang R, Castro CM, Lee H, Del Castillo CF, Weissleder R. Multiparametric plasma EV profiling facilitates diagnosis of pancreatic malignancy. Sci Transl Med. 2017;9(391):eaal3226 – PMID: 28539469.
  • Im H*, Shao H*, Park YI, Peterson VM, Castro CM, Weissleder R*, Lee H*. Label-free detection and molecular profiling of exosomes with a nano-plasmonic sensor. Nature Biotechnol. 2014;32(5):490-5 – PMID: 24752081