Wei Min, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Chemistry
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Kavli Institute for Brain Science
Columbia University
Seminar Information
Innovations in optical microscopy have revolutionized modern science and technology. Since all molecules consist of chemical bonds, novel microscopy techniques that can directly image chemical bonds with high sensitivity, speed, specificity and resolution are making an increasingly broad impact in chemistry, materials science and biomedicine. In this talk we will introduce the physical principle of stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy, which has emerged as a powerful method of chemical bond imaging. Then we will discuss exciting new research areas and applications enabled by SRS microscopy, including (1) bioorthogonal chemical imaging, (2) metabolic imaging of cells and tissues, (3) super-multiplexed vibrational imaging and profiling, (4) single-molecule vibrational spectroscopy and nanoscopy, and (5) single-particle nanomedicine.
Dr. Wei Min received his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 2008 studying single-molecule biophysics with Prof. Sunney Xie. After continuing his postdoctoral work in Xie group, Dr. Min joined the faculty at Columbia University in 2010, and was promoted to Full Professor there in 2017. He is also affiliated with the Kavli Institute for Brain Science and Department of Biomedical Engineering at Columbia University. Dr. Min's current research interests focus on developing novel optical spectroscopy and microscopy technology to address chemical and biomedical problems.
Dr. Min's contribution has been recognized by a number of honors, including Biophotonics Technology Innovator Award from SPIE (2023), Raman Award for the Most Innovative Technological Development (2022), Craver Award of Vibrational Spectroscopy (2022), Scientific Achievement Award from Royal Microscopical Society (2021), Pittsburgh Conference Achievement Award (2019), Analyst Emerging Investigator Lectureship (2018), Coblentz Award of Molecular Spectroscopy (2017), the ACS Early Career Award in Experimental Physical Chemistry (2017), Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award (2015), Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship (2013), and NIH Director's New Innovator Award (2012).