RESEARCH

The Kurouski Laboratory operates at the intersection of biophysics, analytical chemistry, optical spectroscopy, and nanotechnology. The group’s primary focus is the development and application of advanced vibrational spectroscopy, including Raman spectroscopy, Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (TERS), Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS), and Atomic Force Microscopy-Infrared (AFM-IR), to resolve structural, chemical, and biological questions across nanoscale to field-deployable regimes.

Primary Research Directions

1. Nanoscale Structural Biology & Amyloid Fibrillation

Protein Aggregation & Misfolding: Characterizing the nanoscale morphology, supramolecular chirality, and structural transitions of early-stage oligomers and mature fibrils (e.g., alpha-synuclein, Amyloid-beta42, Tau, TDP-43, and IAPP) implicated in neurodegenerative and metabolic disorders.
Membrane & Lipid Interactions: Elucidating how membrane composition, phospholipids, and fatty acids modulate protein aggregation kinetics, secondary structure, and cytotoxicity.
High-Resolution Spectroscopy: Utilizing AFM-IR and TERS to map structural dynamics on individual aggregate surfaces, providing molecular-level insights to guide therapeutic screening and intervention strategies.

2. Non-Invasive Agricultural Diagnostics & Plant Phenotyping

Field-Deployable Diagnostics: Developing handheld, non-destructive Raman spectroscopic methods for rapid detection of biotic stresses (bacterial, viral, and fungal plant diseases) and abiotic stresses (nutrient deficiencies, drought, metal toxicity).
Crop Phenotyping & Biomarker Profiling: Applying vibrational spectroscopy for real-time crop quality assessment, nutrient profiling, and fruit maturity tracking to support precision agriculture and plant breeding programs.

3. Forensic Trace Evidence & Chemical Sensing

Minimally Destructive Trace Analysis: Employing Near-Infrared Excitation Raman Spectroscopy (NIeRS) and SERS for forensic evaluation of dyed hair strands, fibers, and textiles exposed to environmental degradants or forensic fluids.
Chemometrics & Spectral Classification: Integrating machine learning and likelihood-based inference frameworks (e.g., PLS-DA, DyeSPY-LINK) to achieve high-confidence source attribution and kinship matching for trace physical evidence.

4. Plasmon-Driven Catalysis & Nanomaterial Chemistry

Single-Molecule & Nanoscale Chemical Imaging: Visualizing local catalytic reactions, charge-transfer pathways, and plasmon-driven chemistry at the surfaces of metallic and bimetallic nanostructures and 2D transition metal dichalcogenides using TERS.
Bionanomaterials: Investigating the catalytic, photothermal, and neuroprotective properties of low-dimensional nanomaterials and nanorods for sensor design and cellular protection.

5. Vector, Entomology & Pathogen Diagnostics

Pathogen & Vector Identification: Using vibrational spectroscopy for optical sensing of disease vectors, vector-borne bacterial infections (such as Lyme disease), viral activity, and single-cell bacterial fingerprinting.
Non-Destructive Insect Profiling: Developing spectroscopic screening approaches for developmental timing, pest identification, and entomological monitoring.