Scientific Board

Prof. Dr. Alexander BARANOV is Head of Laboratory of Photophysics and Photochemistry of Quantum Nanostructures and Professor of St.-Petersburg State Polytechnic University. Prof Baranov is a recognized expert in the physics of quantum nanostructures including the energy transfer mechanisms within the nanostructures. Beginning from the middle of 80th, he pioneered studies of electronic and phonon structures of the semiconductor nanocrystals by linear and non-linear resonant optical methods where the first information about the NC electron structure, electron-phonon interaction and its size-dependence and the NC-surroundings interactions was obtained. In the end of 90th, Dr. Baranov proposed and used for the studies of relaxation processes and energy transfer in inhomogeneously broadened ensembles of quantum dots such techniques as the time-resolved photon echo and coherent control of electron transitions. Quite recently, a new effective mechanism of electronic relaxation in nanocrystals via longitudinal excitations of surroundings (heterostructures) was discovered in research group of Dr. Baranov. The mechanism opens a promising possibility to manipulate parameters of nanocrystals-based nanodevices and biosensors. Last years, the main field of interests of Prof. Baranov comprises mechanisms of the energy transfer in systems of core/shell quantum dots and nanobiotechnological approaches to biosensing. His pioneering studies of electronic and phonon subsystems of CdSe/ZnS nanocrystals by means of resonant Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy opened new ways to control electronic and optical parameters and electronic energy dissipation in these nanostructures. Prof. Baranov coordinated the studies of mechanisms of energy transfer in the nanocrystals-based systems. As a results, the first nano-assemblies comprising oppositely charged nanocrystals of different diameters or oppositely charged nanocrystals and fluorescence quencher such as nanogold or black holes particles have been created and shown to provide one with the nearly 100% FRET effect efficiency. Dr. Baranov authored and co-authored nearly 100 publications in peer-reviewed journals and a co-author of a WO02/073155 "Ultra-sensitive non-isotopic nanocrystals" patent family.

Dr. Mikhail ARTEMYEV from the Institute for Physico-Chemical Problems, Minsk, Byelorussia, has a more than 15 years of experience is studying the chemistry and physics of nanostructures including semiconductor quantum dots and optically active composite materials based on inorganic nanoparticles. His primary scientific interest now lies in the chemical synthesis of highly luminescent colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals and their utilization as novel type of fluorescent materials for biological applications in cooperation with a group of Prof. Vladimir Oleinikov from Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow and Prof. Alexander Baranov from Vavilov State Optical Institute, St-Petersbourg, Russia. Also, he maintains the long term cooperation with the group of Prof. Ulrike Woggon (Dortmund University, Germany) in the field of optics of semiconductor quantum dot structures. Dr. Artemyev spent 7 months in MIT Chemistry Department studying the ultrafast laser spectroscopy. He has more than 60 scientific publications in the international per-reviewed journals and conference proceedings. Dr Artemyev developed a number of synthetic protocols for the highly luminescent II-VI nanocrystals (CdSe, ZnSe, etc.) with controllable optical properties and preparation of biocompatible water soluble fluorescent markers based on semiconductor nanocrystals. He was a key participant in the original investigations of enhanced luminescence from semiconductor quantum dots on the surface of gold colloids, preparation of self-organized structures with quantum dots and biomolecules. Dr. ARTEMYEV is a co-author of a WO02/073155 "Ultrasensitive non-isotopic nanocrystals" patent family.

Prof. Dr. Vladimir OLEINIKOV, leading scientist of Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry (SIOBC), has been engaged in, and made contributions to one of the most challenging and important areas of nanobiotechnology - development of the new selective and ultrasensitive spectroscopic techniques for the analysis of different classes of biological objects based on new methods of preparation of nanostructures. He had opened a new approach in nanotechnology having developed techniques of nanostructures preparation, using the high energy ions produced by ion beams accelerators. His researches in the field of structure/function relationships of new anticancer compounds: derivatives of bis-netropsines, polyamines, topotecan (clinically important derivative of camptothecin), and their interaction within the double and ternary complexes with DNA and human DNA topoisomerase I, target of wide variety of antitumor drugs are attracted a great interest of scientific community. At present, he has got very promising results in the development of new generation of immunoassays based on the fluorescent quantum dots. Prof. Oleinikov is a Head of Mass-spectrometry and Optical Spectroscopy Division in SIOBC, which is the leading centre of physico-chemical biology in Russia. He has more than 80 scientific publications in the international per-reviewed journals and conference proceedings.