Prof Gil Lee
Prof Lee joined UCD in 2008, under the Science Foundation Ireland Stokes Professorship scheme, spear-heading a number of new Bionanoscience research programmes at the university.
Among Prof Lee’s research interests is the study of forces in single molecules and cells. Using an atomic force microscope (AFM) and a magnetic tweezers technique capable of highly sensitive measurements, Prof Lee and has gained new insights into the important role that force plays in cellular behaviour. The AFM has also been applied to the study of the mechanical properties of cells, which is hoped will provide new insight into the molecular mechanisms of cell motility and signalling.
Prof Lee has also used the insights gained from the single molecule measurements to develop biosensing ‘lab-on-a-chip’ devices, which could detect infectious diseases early on, greatly enhancing the quality of medical care as well as limiting the spread of emerging infectious diseases. Prof Lee and his research team are developing novel techniques for sensing and separating multiple pathogens from complex samples such as blood, using magnetic separation. Recently Prof Lee used a technique known as ‘magnetophoretic sensing’ to detect type 2 Dengue virus at tiny concentrations, which in principle could allow identification of this deadly disease when the symptoms first become evident.
Prof Lee is the author of over 40 peer reviewed publications and seven patents. He has been recognised by the US Federal Laboratory Consortium Award for Excellence in Technology Transfer for his research while working at the Chemistry Division of the Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, and was the founding chair of the Nanoscience and Engineering Forum of the AIChE.
