Activities

The long-term goal of this laboratory is the development of novel imaging probes to perform in-situ NMR detection in subcellular compartments. To this end, we leverage the unique properties of negatively-charged Nitrogen-Vacancy centers in nanodiamonds. The spin-dependent fluorescence of NV centers makes it possible to perform ultrahigh-sensitivity magnetometry experiments, thus probing cell activity and microenvironment with unprecedented accuracy and resolution. Our laboratory develops and deploys new methods and diamond-based materials for Optically Detected Magnetic Resonance, optical pumping for NMR enhancement, and direct measurement of time-varying magnetic and electric fields in living cells and tissues.

The Diamond Lab is equipped with a confocal set-up for Optically Detected Magnetic Resonance microscopy and spectroscopy, a Nikon Eclipse T1 fluorescence microscope modified to perform wide-field ODMR microscopy on biological samples and a Nicolet iS50 FT-IR infrared spectrophotometer for sample characterization. Moreover, we have a self-built system for the hyperpolarization of ¹³C nuclei and a number of coherent light sources, including a 5 W Coherent Verdi V5 laser for the excitation of fluorescent signals in nanodiamonds and other materials. We have also access to departmental labs for cell cultures and tissue preparation, as well as to major high-field NMR and MRI facilities

Group

• Prof. Angelo Bifone (PI)
• Federico Gorrini  - PostDoc
• Domingo Olivares Postigo – PhD student