Research Interests
1. Development of new nano-systems based on plasmonic and hybrid nanoparticles incorporating specific biomolecules, as anti-cancer drugs and molecular reporters for applications in nanomedicine and, particularly, in cancer nano-therapy (targeted cancer nano-chemotherapy, nano-photodynamic therapy, plasmonic hyperthermia, multimodal therapy, molecular imaging and diagnostic, etc.)
2. Development of nanostructured metallic films or colloidal nanoparticles as effective substrates for enhanced detection and identification of various (bio)molecules and biomarkers via optical spectroscopy including Raman / SERS, localized surface plasmon resonance LSPR-UV-VIS, steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence, metal-enhanced fluorescence (MEF), etc.
3. Implementation of reliable and less expensive nanofabrication and nano-structuration procedures (colloidal self-assembling, nanosphere lithography, thin film deposition, chemical synthesis and bio-synthesis of plasmonic nanoparticles, RIE processing, etc.)
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Expertise
►Nanomaterials synthesis, fabrication and their characterization and biofunctionalization;
►Optical confocal microscopy (scanning confocal Raman and fluorescence microscopy including time-resolved fluorescence FLIM, dark-field, etc.)
►Optical spectroscopy (UV-VIS, Raman, SERS, fluorescence, FT-IR, dynamic light scattering, ‘hole-burning” optical spectroscopy, etc.)
►Simulations in optics (FDTD-finite difference time domain, RCWA-rigorous coupled wave analysis, DDA-discrete dipole approximation).
International visibility
► Author and co-author of more than 230 scientific papers (from Web of Science Core Collection);
►Included in the list of the first 2% most cited scientists in the world in his field of research in 2020 and 2021 ( World’s Ranking of 2% most cited Top Scientists, Stanford Univ. and Elsevier by Scopus)
► Over 6450 international citations (excluding self-citations, from Web of Science);
► Hirsch index H= 42;
► Co-author of scientific book published by Springer Verlag Ed.;
► Invited contributor of 5 chapters in international books;
► Co-author of 3 scientific books published in Romanian;
► Co-editor of one scientific book published in Romania;
► 31 invited/plenary lectures in international meetings (conferences)
► Principal investigator of 9 national research projects +3 bilateral international projects.
► Advisor of 25 PhD students (22 defended, 3 on progress, 2 international join program).
► Guest Editor for a special issue on SERS published in Journal of Nanotechnology (2012) hindawi.com;
► Co-Editor for a special issue in J. Mol. Structure (2013) for a collection of papers presented at the XXXIst European Congress on Molecular Spectroscopy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, August 26-31, 2012;
► Co-chairman of the European Congress on Molecular Spectroscopy (EUCMOS 2012) in Cluj-Napoca phys.ubbcluj.ro;
► Member of the International Scientific Committee of European Congress on Molecular Spectroscopy (http://eucmos2016.mke.org.hu/organizers-and-committees.html)
► Member of the International Scientific Committee of European Conference in Spectroscopy of Biological Molecules (http://www.ecsbm2015.de/general-information/organizational-remarks/);
► Co-author of 2 articles featured on the front cover of Nanotechnology Journal:
► Co-author of 1 article featured on the front cover of Applied Material & Interfaces Journal
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Scholar Google: scholar.google.com
Research Gate: researchgate.net
BrainMap ID: U-1700-038N-4081
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Most Relevant Publications
1. Light transmission through metallic channels much smaller than the wavelength by: Astilean, S; Lalanne, P; Palamaru, M
Optics Communications Volume: 175 Issue: 4-6 Pages: 265-273 (2000) - this is the most cited co-authored paper published so far (240 times cited).
2. Blazed binary subwavelength gratings with efficiencies larger than those of conventional echelette gratings
by: Lalanne, P; Astilean, S; Chavel, P; et al. Optics Letters Volume: 23 Issue: 14 Pages: 1081-1083 (1998) - this is my first co-authored paper on "nano" published in the dawn of nanoERA (230 times cited) .
3. Chitosan-coated triangular silver nanoparticles as a novel class of biocompatible, highly effective photothermal transducers for in vitro cancer cell therapy
By: Boca, Sanda C.; Potara, Monica; Gabudean, Ana-Maria; Juhem, Aurelie; Baldeck, Patrice; Astilean, Simion Cancer Letters, Volume: 311 Issue: 2 Pages: 131-140 (2011) - this is the most cited co-authored paper in my research center published so far (228 times cited).
4. Doxorubicin-Incorporated Nanotherapeutic Delivery System Based on Gelatin-Coated Gold Nanoparticles: Formulation, Drug Release, and Multimodal Imaging of Cellular Internalization
By: Suarasan, Sorina; Focsan, Monica; Potara, Monica; Olga Soritau; Adrian Florea; Dana Maniu, Simion Astilean,ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces Volume: 8 Issue: 35 Pages: 22900-22913 (2016) - this is the most cited co-authored paper in my research center published in the last 4 years (69 times cited) .
5. Isotopic-substitution effects on the molecular relaxation of dimethysulfoxide in pure liquid and different media By: Bratu, I; Klostermann, K; Iliescu, T; Astilean S, Journal of Molecular liquids Volume: 45 Issue: 1-2 Pages: 57-63 (1990) - this is my first co-authored paper published in ISI journal (7 times cited).