CAMP March Newsletter: Page5
Clarkson University’s Professor Igor Sokolov Has His Research Highlighted at the American Physics Society (APS) Meeting and in the APS News Magazine
Professor Igor Sokolov
Two research projects carried out by Clarkson University’s Physics Professor Igor Sokolov and his group were highlighted by the American Institute of Physics (AIP) at the recent annual meeting of the American Physical Society in Boston, the world's largest meeting of physicists.
The first work, “Atomic force microscopy as nano-stethoscope to study living organisms, insects,” was selected by the AIP as one of only 15 to present to the entire meeting audience, out of about 9,000 presentations in total. Atomic force microscopy is a technique generally used to image surfaces. However, the Clarkson researchers used it to record tiny oscillations on the surface of insects and even on human organisms.
They showed that the method allows recording a vibration of the surface as small as 1/100th of its atomic size. This can be used not only to study various functional mechanisms of insects, but also to detect some diseases. Postdoctoral fellow Maxim Dokukin, graduate student Nataliia Guz, and Sokolov performed the research. Read more at http://www.aps.org/meetings/march/vpr/2012/highlighted.cfm .
The group’s other project was performed in collaboration with Biology Professor Craig D. Woodworth. It was titled “Emergence of fractal behavior and other changes of cell surface during malignant transformation: AFM study of human cervical epithelial cells.”
This research was also distinguished by being chosen for presentation at a press conference, “The Physics of Cancer,” during the APS meeting.
The Clarkson researchers demonstrated that the physical properties of a cell surface may be an even better indication of cancer than the “classical” biochemical markers, perhaps opening a new avenue for early detection of cancer and development of new drugs.
CAMP Professor Yongming Liu Receives Tenure and Promotion continued from page 4
Professor Liu has published more than 35 papers in refereed journals, and authored as well as co-authored four book chapters, and over 60 papers in conference and symposia proceedings. One of his publications received the best paper award from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). He is an associate editor for the ASCE Journal of Bridge Engineering and received the best reviewer award in 2010. Liu was the recipient of the Air Force Young Investigator award in 2011.
Professor Liu has secured external research funding totaling about $1.7 million from agencies such as the National Science Foundation, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration, the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Navy, and several other funding agencies and industries.
