Vanderbilt Institute of Nanoscale Science and Engineering Colloquium
Dr. Bozhi Tian
University of Chicago
Nano-enabled Photostimulation for Bioelectronic Medicine
04.07.27聽 |聽 4:10PM |
Photostimulation has emerged as a powerful strategy for interrogating and modulating biological systems with high spatiotemporal precision. Recent advances in nanoscience have transformed this field by enabling precise engineering of semiconductor, plasmonic, and bioelectronic interfaces at the nanoscale, where optical energy is converted into localized electrical, electrochemical, and ionic signals. This presentation will discuss how rational nanomaterials design reveals new mechanisms for photostimulation beyond conventional optogenetic and photothermal approaches. Topics will include photogenerated capacitive currents, faradaic charge transfer, interfacial electrochemical reactions, and hot-carrier-mediated bioelectronic interactions, highlighting how nanoscale architecture governs charge transport, energy conversion, and biological responses. Particular emphasis will be placed on semiconductor and plasmonic nanostructures that establish fundamentally new paradigms for optical control of living systems.
The talk will further demonstrate how these advances are enabling wireless bioelectronic interfaces for previously inaccessible anatomical targets. Examples will include optical modulation of peripheral nerves, spinal circuits, cardiac tissues, and respiratory control pathways using implantable semiconductor platforms engineered from the nanoscale upward. These studies illustrate how innovations in nanomaterials, interfacial electrochemistry, and device engineering are creating new opportunities for bioelectronic medicine, providing minimally invasive strategies for sensing, therapy, and closed-loop physiological regulation. More broadly, they establish a framework in which nanoscience serves as the foundation for next-generation photostimulation technologies that bridge materials science, optoelectronics, and biomedicine.
Bio. Dr. Bozhi Tian earned his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from Harvard University and completed postdoctoral training in regenerative medicine at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is currently a professor at the University of Chicago, where his research bridges physical chemistry and bioelectronics to advance both fundamental understanding and practical applications at bioelectrical interfaces. His work has enabled the creation of novel semiconductor-based materials and electronic systems designed to probe subcellular dynamics and explore the translational potential of bioelectrical platforms. His lab is particularly active in emerging areas such as photoelectroceuticals, living bioelectronics, and sustainable healthcare technologies. Dr. Tian鈥檚 contributions have been recognized with many honors, including the Raymond and Beverly Sackler International Prize in the Physical Sciences and the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE).
Previous speakers include:
- , University of Texas, Austin, 2026
- ,聽University of Pennsylvania, 2025
- ,聽Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2024
- , University of California, Berkeley, 2023
- , Stanford University, 2022
- , Northwestern University, 2020
- , Rice University, 2019
- , Harvard University, 2018
- , Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2018
- , University of California, Los Angeles, 2016
- , University of Toronto, 2015
- , Georgia Institute of Technology, 2014