Expertise
nanoparticle synthesis, spectroscopy, green synthesis, biophotonics, nanoparticles in textiles, multifunctional materials, food science, cancer imaging and therapy

Instrumentation
Horiba Fluoromax 400 spectrophotometer, UV-Vis absorption, Hitachi FlexSEM1000

Background & Research Interest
Brian Yust is a biophysicist who works at the intersection of photonics, material science, and biology to design and implement novel nanomaterials for various applications, such as biomedical imaging, textiles, and antimicrobial surfaces. He also does research on green and sustainable nanoparticle synthesis techniques as well as food science. Brian has recently been developing low-cost, green chemical syntheses of nanoparticles based on utilizing food waste such as spent coffee grounds as a substitute for traditional, more hazardous reagents. He recently secured a patent for incorporating persistent luminescent nanoparticles into filaments for use in textiles. He has ongoing projects involving rare earth nanoparticles for photodynamic cancer therapy, contrast agents for non-ionizing medical imaging modalities, such as MRI and near-infrared, and incorporating luminescent and antimicrobial nanoparticles into textiles. Other research interests include nanoscale interactions at the organic-inorganic interface, using light to activate and manipulate materials on the nanoscale, using nanoparticles to detect and destroy multidrug-resistant bacteria, and light-matter interactions in tissues.