Exploring Light and Life: Nanophotonics and AI for Molecular Sequencing and Single-Cell Phenotyping

The biosphere transmits data 9 orders of magnitude faster than the technosphere. A new class of nanophotonic tools is beginning to close that gap.In this webinar, Prof. Dionne will present VINPix: Si-photonic resonators with high-Q factors (thousands to millions), subwavelength mode volumes, and densities exceeding 10M/cm². Combined with acoustic bioprinting and AI, they may enable detection of multiomic signatures — genes, proteins, and metabolites on a single chip — at previously unattainable rates, opening new possibilities for molecular communication systems and biochemical sensing for health and sustainability.Key Takeaway: Single-chip multiomics — VINPix arrays plus AI for simultaneous gene, protein, and metabolite detectionField-deployed biosensing — integrated with Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) autonomous underwater robots for ocean biochemical monitoringPeptide & glyco-conjugate sequencing — major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-tethered peptide