We are interested in different aspects of Quantum Optics, laser spectroscopy and microscopy, nonlinear optics, and its applications in various fields. Currently we are putting our efforts on developing different optical microscopic techniques suitable for biomolecular imaging. These include confocal fluorescence microscopy, multi-photon microscopy and phtotothermal microscopy using metallic nanoparticles as bimolecular label. Recently we developed a two-photon excitation based photothermal microscope which is capable of detecting single BaTiO₃ nanoparticle labels with high sensitivity. We use the confocal and multiphoton microscopes to study biomolecular transport so as to understand the mechanism of transport through nuclear membranes. We hope to use the photothermal microscope for live tracking of biomolecules in a cell nucleus.

1.          Project Title:  Investigation on factors affecting nuclear accumulation of DNA studied using an   in-house  constructed confocal microscope

Principle investigator: Geetha K Varier

Funding agency:  Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India

2.               Project title: Photothermal Imaging of Nuclear Transport

           Principle investigator: P. Nandakumar

           Co-PI: Meenal Kowshik, Geetha K. Varier

           Funding agency: Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India

3.                   Project title: Studies on the optical nonlinearity of gold nanoparticle embedded      BaTiO₃ thin films

Principle investigator : P. Nandakumar

Funding agency:  DRDO, Govt. of India