Nanophotonics and Biodetection Systems
Principal Investigator: Dr. Arif E. ÇETİN
Nanophotonics and Biodetection Systems Laboratory develops advanced optical and electrochemical biosensing platforms for biomedical diagnostics and life science applications. Our research focuses on engineering plasmonic and photonic nanostructures for label-free, ultra-sensitive detection of molecules, cells, and pathogens. By integrating optofluidic and microfluidic systems, we design real-time, high-throughput, and portable analysis devices. Using nanofabrication and materials engineering techniques, we create sensor surfaces with tailored optical properties. Our technologies are applied in early diagnosis of rare diseases, antibiotic/drug susceptibility testing, and monitoring of cell growth and biophysical properties. Our reseach builds a strong bridge between fundamental science and clinical applications.
Research Areas
- Design and engineering of plasmonic and photonic nanostructures
- Label-free, ultra-sensitive optical and electrochemical biosensors
- Optofluidic and microfluidic system design
- Nanofabrication and materials engineering techniques
- Cell analysis and biophysical property measurement
- Rapid diagnosis of rare diseases and pathogens
- Drug/antibiotic susceptibility testing
- Development of portable and point-of-care diagnostic platforms
- Development of laboratory automation devices
Publications
Idil Karaca Acari, Fatma Kurul, Meryem Beyza Avci, S. Deniz Yasar, Seda Nur Topkaya, Ceyhun Acari, Erbil Unsal, Balahan Makay, Suleyman Koytepe, Burhan Ates, Ismet Yılmaz, Turgay Seckin, Arif E. Cetin, “A plasmonic biosensor pre-diagnostic tool for Familial Mediterranean Fever”, Nature Communications, Vol. 15, pp. 8515 (2024)
Arif E. Cetin, Mark Stevens, Nicholas Calistri, Mariateresa Fulciniti, Selim Olcum, Robert Kimmerling, Nikhil Munshi, and Scott Manalis, “Determining Therapeutic Susceptibility in Multiple Myeloma by Single-Cell Mass Accumulation”, Nature Communications, Vol. 8, No 1613, pp. 1-12 (2017)
Arif E. Cetin, Seda Nur Topkaya, Ozden Yalcin-Ozuysal, Ali Khademhosseini, “Refractive Index Sensing For Measuring Single Cell Growth”, ACS Nano, Vol. 15, No 6, pp. 10710–10721 (2021)
Arif E. Cetin, and Hatice Altug, “Fano Resonant Ring/Disk Plasmonic Nanocavities on Conducting Substrates for Advanced Biosensing”, ACS Nano, Vol. 6, No 11, pp. 9989-9995 (2012).
Arif E. Cetin, Ahmet F. Coskun, Betty C. Galarreta, Min Huang, David Herman, Aydogan Ozcan, and Hatice Altug, “Handheld High-Throughput Plasmonic Biosensor using Computational On-Chip Imaging”, Light: Science & Applications, Vol. 3, No e122, pp. 1-10 (2014)
Projects
TUBITAK 2247-A National Outstanding Researchers Program, #1199B472343058. [In Progress]
An Optofluidic Platform Enabling Simultaneous Plasmonic Enhancement of Optical Trapping and Fluorescence Microscopy for Advanced Biosensing Applications
Position: Principal Investigator, Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Izmir, TURKEY [2024-2027].
TUBITAK 1005, #123Z570. [In Progress]
Development of a Test Apparatus and Multi-Functional Software for Screen-Printed Electrode-Based Electrochemical Analysis
Position: Researcher, Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Izmir, TURKEY [2023-2025].
TUBITAK 1004, #22AG008. [In Progress]
MAESTRO - Micro Medical Technologies Platform
Position: Researcher, Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Izmir, TURKEY [2022-2026].
TUBITAK 1001, #124R024. [In Progress]
Development and Functional Characterization of Liver Zonated Organ-On-A Chip Model
Position: Researcher, Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Izmir, TURKEY [2024-2027].
Research and Innovation of Thailand, International Project. [Completed]
Optical-based sensor for virus detection: platform for future optical sensing applications
Position: Researcher, Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Izmir, TURKEY [2022-2024].
TUBITAK 1005, #122E384. [Completed]
Incubator Integrated Electrochemical Analysis Platform for Cell-Based Analysis
Position: Principal Investigator, Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Izmir, TURKEY [2022-2024].
TUBITAK 1005, #122E385. [Completed]
Fully Automated Imaging-Based Liquid Handling Platform for Cell Culture-Based Studies
Position: Principal Investigator, Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Izmir, TURKEY [2022-2024].
Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, Scientific Research Project (BAP), #FCD-2022-2326. [Completed]
Optical Based Sensor for Virus Detection: Platform for Future Optical Sensing Applications
Position: Researcher, Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Izmir, TURKEY [2022-2024].
TUBITAK 2209-B, #1139B412202632. [Completed]
A Smartphone-Based Imaging Method for Invitro Nanoparticle Cytotoxicity Analysis
Position: Industry Advisor, Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Izmir, TURKEY [2023-2024].
TUBITAK 2209-B, #1139B412101128. [Completed]
Development of a Mobile Application for Converting Sign Language and Audio Signals to Texts
Position: Industry Advisor, Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Izmir, TURKEY [2022-2023].
TUBITAK 2209-B, #1139B412103145. [Completed]
Robotic Arm Supported with SSVEP Based Brain Computer Interface
Position: Industry Advisor, Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Izmir, TURKEY [2022-2023].
TUBITAK 2209-B, #1139B412102977. [Completed]
Digital Enhancement of Tissue and Cell Imaging
Position: Industry Advisor, Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Izmir, TURKEY [2022-2023].
TUBITAK 2209-B, #1139B412102119. [Completed]
Digital Classification of Tissue Samples and Detection of Malignant Cells
Position: Industry Advisor, Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Izmir, TURKEY [2022-2023].
TUBITAK 1002, #121E620. [Completed]
An Opto-Fluid Platform for Cell Counting Applications
Position: Principal Investigator, Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Izmir, TURKEY [2022-2023].
TUBITAK 2209-B, #1139B412100962. [Completed]
Syringe Pump System with Air Bubble Tracking Mechanism for Continuous Delivery
Position: Industry Advisor, Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Izmir, TURKEY [2021-2022].
TUBITAK 1507, #7201148. [Completed]
High-throughput imaging platform for tumoroid-based drug screening
Position: Advisor, Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Izmir, TURKEY [2021-2023].
TUBITAK 2218, #118C458. [Completed]
Low Cost and Portable Plasmonic Biosensor Platform Integrated to Microfluidic Pump System
Position: Advisor, Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Izmir, TURKEY [2019-2022].
TUBITAK 3501, #119E111. [Completed]
A Plasmonic Label-Free Biosensor Platform for Determining Therapeutic Profile of Cancer Cells
Position: Principal Investigator, Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Izmir, TURKEY [2019-2022].
TUBITAK 1005, #119E649. [Completed]
Low-Cost and Portable Biosensor System for Diagnosing FMF (Familial Mediterranean Fever) Disease
Position: Principal Investigator, Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Izmir, TURKEY [2019-2022].
TUBITAK 2232, #119C002. [Completed]
A Portable Optical Biosensor Design for Diagnosis of Microorganism-Related Diseases
Position: Principal Investigator, Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Izmir, TURKEY [2018-2020].
TUBITAK 1002, #119E308. [Completed]
Cell Phone Based, Portable and Low-Cost Incubator System for Real-Time Cell Imaging
Position: Principal Investigator, Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Izmir, TURKEY [2019-2020].
CTI #17483.1 PFLS-LS. [Completed]
Portable High-Throughput and Multiplexed Plasmonic Biosensor Platform for Point-of-Care Detection of Pathogenic Bacteria
The Swiss Commission for Technology and Innovation (CTI)
Position: Postdoctoral Researcher. [Initiated the project and contributed in grant writing]
EPFL, Lausanne, SWITZERLAND [2014-2016]. (CTI = Commission for Technology and Innovation)
TUBITAK 1001, #113E277. [Completed]
Plasmonic Antenna Arrays for Biosensor Applications
Position: International Research Partner. EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland and MIT, Cambridge, USA [2013-2015].
NSF #EEC-0812056. [Completed]
Multiplexed Plasmonic Sensors for Parallel Biochemical Detection
National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Research Center on Smart Lighting.
Position: Graduate Student Researcher, Boston University USA [2011-2013].
TUBITAK International Project, #106E215. [Completed]
Integration of Optical Monolithic Resonators on Silicon for Photonic Communications
Position: Graduate Student Researcher, Koc University, Istanbul, TURKEY [2014-2015].
Patents
Arif E. Cetin, Meryem Beyza Avci, Mehmet Turkan “A Method for Cell Analysis and a Platform for This Method”, TR Patent Application (Submitted, 2025).
Arif E. Cetin, Seda Nur Topkaya, “Incubator Integrated Electrochemical Analysis Platform”, TR Patent 2023/019240 (Granted, 2025), PCT Application (Submitted, 2024).
Arif E. Cetin, “Automated, Imaging-Based, Five-Axis Liquid Handler”, TR Patent 2023/019281 (Granted, 2025), PCT Application (Submitted, 2024).
Habibe Durmaz Sagir, Nimet Yildirim Tirgil, Arif E. Cetin, Ahmet Murat Erturan, Sare Nur Çuhadar, Seyfettin Sinan Gültekin, “Depression Detection and Tracking with a Metamaterial-Based Plasmonic Bio-Sensor System”, TR Patent Application 2023/001754 (Submitted, 2023).
Arif E. Cetin, Idil Karaca Acari, Seda Nur Topkaya, Burhan Ates, Suleyman Koytepe, Turgay Seckin, Sevket Erbil Unsal, Balahan Makay, Ceyhun Acari, Ismet Yılmaz, “A Biosensor System for The Diagnosis of FMF (Familial Mediterranean Fever) Disease”, TR Patent Application 2022/017709 (Submitted, 2022), PCT WO/20241/12303A1 (Accepted, 2024), US Patent Application (Submitted, 2025).
Arif E. Cetin, “Plasmonic Cell Mass Accumulation Profiling Platform for Determining Therapeutic Response of Cancer Cells”, TR Patent 2020/19537 (Granted, 2020), PCT WO/2022/119530 (Accepted, 2021), US Patent Application US20240003869A1 (Submitted, 2023).
Arif E. Cetin, “A Portable Incubator Platform Integrated Into A Portable Imaging Device”, TR Patent Application 2019/13661 (Submitted, 2019), PCT WO/2021/050023 (Accepted, 2020), US Patent 17/639,916 (Granted, 2022), EPO Application EP4004183A1 (Submitted, 2022).
Arif E. Cetin and Hatice Altug, “Plasmonic Nanohole Arrays on Hybrid Substrate for Highly Sensitive Label-Free Biosensing”,
US Patent, 10,436,711 (Granted, 2019).
Staff
Active Members
Meryem Beyza Avcı (PhD Student)
Fatma Kurul (PhD Student)
Furkan Koçer (MSc Student)
Damla Aydoğan (MSc Student)
İrem Sonay (MSc Student)
Nida Bitiktaş (MSc Student)
Former Members
Sena Yaman (Postdoctoral Researcher)
Ece Cesur Gür (Laboratory Manager)
Mehmet Furkan Çolak (MSc Student)
Sevim Deniz Yaşar (BSc Student)
Ayca Kulpedin (BSc Student)
Onur Akdemir (BSc Student)
Özge Ada Bozbaş (BSc Student)
Rabia Hamurcu (BSc Student)
Bertan Acar (Mechatronics Engineer / BSc Student)
