MiBAR: How we age, and what we can do about it!
Ozzy Mermut, York Research Chair in Vision Biophotonics
I am interested in developing new photonic and complimentary multimodal techniques to study and understand the physics of degenerative diseases associated with aging. In particular, my interests involve examining biomarkers and signaling processes associated with pathogenesis of eye-brain disorders. At the tissue level, I study the relationship between structure and function in pre-diseased models primarily through optical methods. With this understanding, my goal is to devise “intelligent” (targeted) phototreatment protocols to better intervene through devised biophotonic technologies. My interdisciplinary research spans broad areas of biomedical physics including conception of new optical methods for early screening and diagnostics, to optimization of photo-therapy outcomes, and design of fiber based sensors for real-time biosensing and photodosimetry. I am also interested in time-resolved luminescence and nonlinear optical approaches to examine dynamic mechanisms implicated in photodynamic therapy (PDT). By resolving molecular-scale transitions on biological surfaces with second harmonic generation, and probing molecular microenvironment time resolved fluorescence, my aim is to elucidate the complex multifactorial markers and mechanisms of aging.
Faculty of Graduate Studies
Due to the nature of our interdisciplinary research, we welcome graduate students with various and backgrounds and expertise into the MiBAR lab. In addition to being a faculty member in Physics and Astronomy, I am:
- Faculty member in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science - Graduate Program
- Faculty member in Chemistry - Graduate Program
- Faculty member of the Neuroscience Graduate Program
- Faculty associate member of CVR and VISTA
My Courses:
2020-21
ISCI 1310: Integrated Science: Electricity and Magnetism
PHYS 1510: Introductory Physics
BPHYS 4090: Biophysiccal Techniques
2019-20
ISCI 1310: Integrated Science: Electricity and Magnetism
PHYS 1510: Introductory Physics
BPHYS 4310: Biophysics Research
2018-19
ISCI 1310: Integrated Science: Electricity and Magnetism
BPHYS 4090: Biophysical Techniques
PHYS 1510: Introductory Physics
PHYS 4310: Physics Research
