Joseph R. Lakowicz, PhD

During my research career I have focused on advancing the theory and practice of fluorescence spectroscopy as applied to the biosciences. These studies have included development of instruments and software, new methods such as light quenching and synthesis of novel fluorescent probes. Light quenching is the phenomenon used in STED super-resolution microscopy.

Starting about 15 years ago it became clear to me that fluorescence was reaching some technological limits where further improvements in sensitivity or resolution would be incremental. At that time we began our studies of the interactions of fluorophores with plasmons on metallic surfaces. We started this work because we saw the opportunity for dramatic changes in fluorescence technology by using the optical properties of metallic nanostructures to modify the temporal properties of fluorophore emission. We refer this phenomenon in a more general way as plasmon-controlled fluorescence. This field has grown dramatically and now numerous labs are involved. We were among the first to use these effects for sub-diffraction limited resolution. Metallic structures have been shown to yield beaming emission. These effects are now being used to increase the extraction efficiency of LED lighting. We are now extending this work to hybrid plasmonic-photonic structures. Our emphasis is on understanding the principles of fluorophore-nanostructures interacts and thereby enable the use of these effects on the biosciences.

The Center of Fluorescence was a National Center for Research Resource for 15 years and is now supported by the National Institutes of Health. The CFS has advanced the technology for fluorescence and its applications to the biosciences. Considerable progress has been made in the CFS in areas such as probe chemistry, time-resolved fluorescence, multi-photon excitation, imaging, fluorescence lifetime imaging, genetically engineered probes, and single molecule detection. The role of the CFS has typically been to develop the fundamental chemistry, instruments or analysis methods which are then applied to areas such as fluorescence sensing, genetic analysis and cellular imaging. Since 2000 Dr. Lakowicz has focused his efforts on the use of near-field fluorescence with plasmonics and photonics structures. This work has resulted in the publication of over 100 peer-reviewed papers on this topic, including experimentation, theory and reviews.

Dr. Lakowicz was the recipient of a number of awards including the 2nd Annual Theodore E. Woodward Award, Gregorio Weber Award for Excellence in Fluorescence Theory and Application, National Science Foundation Fellowship and a NATO Fellowship in Science. He is the fellow of American Association for the Advancement of Science and Fellow of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering. He also has served on the Scientific Advisory Boards of  LJL Biosystems, Inc. Life Spex, Inc., Optical Sensors, Inc., 3D Pharmaceuticals, Inc., FluorRx, Inc., and ART Advanced Research Technology.

CFS Course on Principles and Medical Applications of Fluorescence Spectroscopy

 This series of lectures describes all aspects of fluorescence spectroscopy. 

The individual lectures are about 30 minutes long. In each lecture we describe the basic principles of the topic, and then select biochemical and biomedical examples of the method. The lectures also describe the most common errors in the measurements.

The lectures are suitable for a graduate-level course on all aspects of fluorescence. In our department, we plan to view each lecture with students in the classroom, with the presence of a faculty monitor to answer questions. We are considering a list of questions for each lecture.

So far there are lectures on:

Part 0

History of the Course from the Center for Fluorescence Spectroscopy

Introduction and Description of the Fluorescence Spectroscopy

Part 1-Introduction to Fluorescence Spectroscopy

Part 2-Instrumentation, Spectra and Quantum Yields

Part 3- Introduction to Time-resolved Fluorescence: Time-Domain Measurements

Part 4- Introduction to Frequency-domain Time-resolved Fluorescence

Part 5- Fluorescence Probes

Part 5a: Fluorescence Probes

Part 5b: Other Fluorescence Probes

Part 6-Solvent and Environmental Effects on Fluorescence

Part 6a: Advanced Material - Time-dependent Solvent and Spectral Relaxation

Part 7- Advanced Topics in Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET)

Part 7a: Introduction to Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET)

Part 7b: Advanced Topics in Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET)

Part 8-Quenching of Fluorescence

Part 8a: Quenching of Fluorescence

Part 8b: Fluorescence Quenching with Proteins and Membranes

Part 8c: Different types of Fluorescence Quenching

Part 9-Introduction to Fluorescence Anisotropy

Part 9a: Introduction to Fluorescence Anisotropy

Part 9b: Origins of Anisotropy and Time-resolved Anisotropy Decays

Part 10-Fluorescence Polarization Assays

Part 10a: Fluorescence Polarization Assays

Part 10b: FPIs: Microtiter plates, Competitive and Non-competitive assays and with High MW targets

Part 10c: New Topics in FIPs: Nanobodies, High MW targets and Long lifetime fluorophores

Part 11-Fluorescence Sensing

Part 11a: Fluorescence Sensing – Blood Gases

Part 11b: Fluorescence Sensing – Electrolytes in Blood

Part 11c: Fluorescence Sensing – Chloride and YFP Sensors

Part 12- Protein Fluorescence 

Part 12a: Protein Fluorescence – Steady State Measurements

Part 12b: Protein Fluorescence – Time-resolved Measurements

Part 12c: Special Topics in Protein Fluorescence

Part 13- Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy

Part 13a: Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (FLIM) – Microscopes and TCSPC

Part 13b: FLIM – Frequency Domain FLIM for Cellular and Medical Applications

Link to Playlists:

https://josephlakowicz.wixsite.com/fluorescence-center/fluorescence-class 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRbSDM9BYtw&list=PLJXg4Qpb_936k5h2-RF-GUi2NI95b_2DW

Dr. Lakowicz is the Founding Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Fluorescence and the Journal of Biomedical Optics, Founding Co-Editor-in-Chief Plasmonics, Topics in Fluorescence Spectroscopy and Co-Founding Editor Annual Reviews in Fluorescence.He has started the course Principles and Applications of Time-Resolved Fluorescence Spectroscopy in USA and Germany. This course is attended by Ph.D. level scientists who are using fluorescence in their research. The course is a week long, with hands-on-experiments on state-of-the-art instruments brought in by a dozen of companies. The course has been taught in Baltimore for 15 years, and in Berlin the last 10 years. Over 1,100 scientists have attended the course, including a number of full professors and six members of the National Academy.