Jeffrey N. Anker

Biography

Dr. Anker received his B.S from Yale University and earned his Ph.D. (2005) from The University of Michigan with Prof. Raoul Kopelman working on magnetically modulated fluorescence-based sensors. After graduation, he was an NIH Postdoctoral Fellow at Northwestern University with Prof. Richard Van Duyne, where he developed plasmonics-based nanosensors to measure chemical concentrations and measure binding kinetics. He joined the Clemson faculty in 2008. Dr. Anker is also a member of the Center for Optical Materials Science and Engineering Technologies (COMSET), and Institute of Environmental Toxicology (ENTOX), South Carolina Bioengineering Center for Regeneration and Formation of Tissues (SC BioCRAFT), and Clemson University School of Health Research (CUSHR).

Research Interest

Dr. Anker’s research uses a combination of optical spectroscopy and nanoparticle devices to study chemical and biophysical processes. The interdisciplinary research involves development and bioanalytical application of multifunctional plasmonic and fluorescent sensors and effectors. Fluorescent and plasmonic nanoparticles are increasingly used in cellular imaging because they fluoresce and scatter light so brightly that individual nanoparticles can be easily observed over extended periods. In addition, nanoparticles can act as a platform onto which many components can be loaded. By loading new components onto nanoparticle platforms, new properties are created with diverse applications. Anker also has been developing sensors to study the chemical environment around implanted medical devices to detect infection, and mechanical sensors to monitor bone healing. These sensors are read using a X-ray imaging and optical spectroscopy.