The focus of my research interests at Emory is in the development of novel technologies for the detection and diagnostics of tumors and cancers. Quantum dots (QD), with its outstanding optical characteristics, provide us a unique way for molecular profiling of highly heterogeneous cancer tumors (especially breast and prostate cancers) which containing a mixture of benign, cancerous, and stroma cells. In my current project, we are developing methods that use multicolor QDs for quantitative and simultaneous profiling of multiple biomarkers for intact breast cancer cells and clinical tissue specimens. This technology could significantly improve the accuracy and efficiency in cancer diagnosis.

Publications and Presentation

Liu, T., Barton, J.K. "DNA electrochemistry through the base pairs not the sugar-phosphate backbone." Journal of American Chemical Society, 127(29): 101-60, 2005.