Sivashanmugan Kundan, PhD

Sep. 2011-Mar. 2015      Ph.D., Nano-Micro Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan

Sep. 2009-Feb. 2011        M.Phil., Department of Nanoscience and Technology, Bharathiar University, India

Jul. 2007-May 2009        M.Sc., Department of Physics, Bharathiar University, India

Jul. 2004-May 2007        B.Sc., Physics,  Bharathiar University, India

Positions and Scientific Appointments

2020-2022                        Assistant Professor, Kanazawa University, Japan
2018-2019                        Postdoctoral Fellow, Oregon State University, USA
2015-2018                        Postdoctoral Fellow, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan
2015-2015                        Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Houston, USA
2011-2015                        Research Fellow, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan

   I have assorted research experiences in single-molecule spectroscopy and have developed my skills in nanostructure preparation and biomolecule analysis. As a Jr. faculty in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, I focused my research on developing a sensing system based on fluorescence spectroscopy. I trained atomic-force microscopy, nanoendoscopy, and stimulated emission depletion microscopy for the study of cancer biomechanics while working as an assistant professor at Kanazawa University in Japan. I designed photonic crystal-enhanced plasmonic mesocapsules for use in Raman spectroscopy for the purpose of detecting tetrahydrocannabinol in complex biofluids. I also developed an antifouling nanoplasmonic surface in order to identify small molecules in complex fluids like blood plasma. Additionally, I applied atomic-force microscopy and Raman spectroscopy approaches to investigate protein-protein interactions on the plasmonic surface in order to detect particular viral protein EV71 interaction locations of tyrosine residue sites. Overall, I established advanced nanoplasmonic substrates for a fast-screening detection platform on "virus, protein, exosome, and toxic contamination" using a spectroscopy approach. This includes the synthesis of Au and Au/Ag nanostructures, an improved nanofabrication procedure, and enhanced-fluorescence and Raman signals from various target species. My expertise includes, photoluminescence, single-molecule spectroscopy, fourier transformations infrared spectroscopy, electron microscopy (SEM & TEM), and auger electron spectroscopy, fabrication of thin films, nanolithography, self-assembly techniques, metal nanoparticles/nanostructures-fluorophore or biomolecules interactions and plasmonic nanostructures. I have published over 50 peer-reviewed articles related to these subjects. For over a year, I have been engaged in the research and development of contact lens-based immunofluorescence assays and plasmon-coupled waveguides for sensing applications. Our work in the near-field interactions of fluorophores with nanostructures provides the opportunity for assays with MDW. Our observation of surface plasmon-coupled emission (SPCE) showed how fluorophore-plasmon coupling could result in directional emission. Recent results on MDW demonstrated highly efficient fluorophore coupling and very narrow angular distributions for the coupled emission.

Single-molecule spectroscopy; Fluorescence spectroscopy; Nanoendoscopy; Plasmonic; SERS

During my career, I have published over 50 peer-reviewed manuscripts in excellent journals (H index = 19) and developed new and novel technologies for fast-screening detection platforms on virus, protein, exosome, cells, and toxic contamination.

Research contributions are of particular importance:

Contact lens-Fluorescence Sensing:

I am currently working on a project that involves the development of smart contact lenses for sensing analytes and biomarkers. I have successfully designed, synthesized, and tested new probes for various physiologically important analytes that are highly effective when incorporated into contact lenses.

[1] JR Lakowicz, R Badugu, Kundan Sivashanmugan, A Reece, “Remote Measurements of Tear Electrolyte Concentrations on Both Sides of an Inserted Contact Lens”, Chemosensors, 11 (8), 463, 2023

Nanofabricated SERS-active substrates for single-molecule to virus detection in vitro:

During my doctorate research at National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan, I first began using the SERS approach. Using the SERS technique, we were able to establish a method for distinguishing between the influenza virus and other toxic substances in a complex solution.  

[1] Kundan Sivashanmugan, Han Lee, Chiu-Hua Syu, Bernard Haochih Liu, Jiunn-Der Liao, “Nanoplasmonic Au/Ag/Au Nanorod arrays as SERS-active Substrate for the Detection of Pesticides Residue”, Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers, Vol. 75, 287-291, 2017.

[2] Kundan Sivashanmugan, Jiunn-Der Liao, Jin-Wei You, Chao-Liang Wu, “Focused ion beam fabricated Au/Ag multilayered nanorod array as SERS-active substrate for virus strain detection”, Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, Vol. 181, 361-367, 2013. 

[3] Kundan Sivashanmugan, Jiunn-Der Liao, Bernard Haochih Liu, Chih-Kai Yao, “Focused-ion-beam-fabricated Au nanorods coupled with Ag nanoparticles used as SERS-active substrate for analyzing trace melamine constituents in solution”, Analytica Chimica Acta, Vol. 800, 56-64, 2013. 

Nanoplasmonic sensor for single-molecule detection:

Using cutting-edge nanofabrication techniques, I contributed to developing a nanoplasmonic SERS-active surface for detecting single molecules. We have employed the focused ion beam technique to create a wide range of nanostructures.

[1] Kundan Sivashanmugan, Jiunn-Der Liao, Bernard Haochih Liu, Chih-Kai Yao, Shyh-Chyang Luo, “Ag Nanoclusters on ZnO Nanodome Array as Hybrid SERS-active Substrate for Trace Detection of Malachite Green”, Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, Vol. 207, 430-436, 2015.

[2] Kundan Sivashanmugan, Jiunn-Der Liao, Chih-Kai Yao, “Elimination of Gallium Concentration on Focused-Ion-Beam-Fabricated Au/Ag Nanorod Surface to Recover Its Raman Scattering Characteristic”, Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, Vol. 206, 415-422, 2015. 

Protein-protein Interactions:

In order to monitor the development of healing collagen fibers in a microenvironment, I made a contribution to the characterization of MMP-9 digested collagen fibers.  We developed an intercellular or extracellular protein-protein interactions system in order to detect particular viral protein of EV71 interaction locations of tyrosine residue sites by employing atomic-force microscopy and Raman spectroscopy.

[1] Kundan Sivashanmugan, Lee H, Liao J. D, Wang C. C, Lin C.H, Yang Y.S, Sitjar J, “Mutated Human P-Selectin Glycoprotein Ligand-1 and Viral Protein-1 of Enterovirus 71 Interactions on Au Nanoplasmonic Substrate for Specific Recognition by Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy”, Coatings, Vol 10, 403, 2020.

[1] Kundan Sivashanmugan, Jiunn-Der Liao, Pei-Lin Shao, Bernard Haochih Liu, Chih-Yu Chang, Te-Yu Tseng, “Intense-Raman Scattering on a Hybrid Au/Ag Nanostructure for the Distinction of Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 Digested Collagen Type-I Fiber Detection”, Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Vol. 72, 61-70, 2015.

Bimetallic nanoplasmonic gap-mode SERS substrate:

I have developed the antifouling SERS active surface by synthesizing varied sizes of metal nanocubes and zwitterionic copolymer in order to detect small molecules in complex fluids such as blood plasma and identifying lung cancer exosomes.

[1] Kundan Sivashanmugan, Po-Chun Liu, Kai-Wei Tsai, Ying-Nien Chou, Chen-Hsueh Lin, Yung Chang, Ten-Chin Wen, “An anti-fouling nanoplasmonic SERS substrate for trapping and releasing a cationic fluorescent tag from human blood solution”, Nanoscale, Vol. 9, 2865-2878, 2017.

[2] Kundan Sivashanmugan, Wei-Lun Hunag, Chen-Hsueh Lin, Jiunn-Der Liao, Chien-Chung Lin, Wu-Chou Su,Ten-Chin Wen, “Bimetallic Nanoplasmonic Gap-mode SERS Substrate for Distinguishing Lung Normal and Cancer-Derived Exosomes”, Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers, Vol. 80, 149-155, 2017. 

Biological photonic crystal‐enhanced plasmonic mesocapsules

We designed photonic crystal-enhanced plasmonic mesocapsules for use in Raman spectroscopy for the purpose of detecting tetrahydrocannabinol in complex biofluids.

[1] Kundan Sivashanmugan, Kenneth Squire, Ailing Tan, Yong Zhao, Joseph A Kraai, Gregory L Rorrer, Alan X Wang, “Trace Detection of Tetrahydrocannabinol in Body Fluid via Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering and Principal Component Analysis”, ACS sensors, Vol. 4(4), 1109-1117, 2019.

[2] Kundan Sivashanmugan, Kenneth Squire, Joseph A Kraai, Ailing Tan, Yong Zhao, Gregory L Rorrer, Alan X Wang, “Biological Photonic Crystal‐Enhanced Plasmonic Mesocapsules: Approaching Single‐Molecule Optofluidic‐SERS Sensing”, Advanced Optical Materials, Vol. 7, 1900415, 2019.