Profile
Jeffrey Anker
Chemistry
Professor
College of Science Dean's Distinguished Professor
864-656-1726
AG Biotech/Biosystems Research Complex / BRC 101 [Lab]
AG Biotech/Biosystems Research Complex / BRC 102 [Lab]
AG Biotech/Biosystems Research Complex / BRC 102B [Research Laboratory Service]
AG Biotech/Biosystems Research Complex / BRC 102C [Office]
AG Biotech/Biosystems Research Complex / BRC 105 [Research Laboratory Service]
AG Biotech/Biosystems Research Complex / BRC 118 [Office]
AG Biotech/Biosystems Research Complex / BRC 136 [Research Laboratory Service]
Profile/About Me
Dr. Jeffrey N. Anker is currently a College of Science Dean's Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and BioEngineering at Clemson University. He obtained his BS degree in Applied Physics at Yale University in 1998. He received his doctorate at The University of Michigan in 2005, working for Professor Raoul Kopelman to develop magnetically modulated optical nanoprobes (MagMOONs) to measure chemical concentrations and mechanical properties of solutions. For inventing MagMOONs, he was awarded a grand prize at the 2002 National Inventor's Hall of Fame Collegiate Inventor's Competition. From 2005-2008, Dr. Anker worked as an NIH National Science Research Award (NSRA) postdoctoral research fellow at Northwestern University under the guidance of Professor Richard Van Duyne. His postdoctoral research focused on develop real-time high-resolution plasmonic nanosensors for studying chemical binding. He joined the Clemson faculty as an Assistant Professor in August 2008. Current research focuses on imaging and spectroscopy using magnetic, plasmonic, X-ray excited micro- and nano-sensors, and implanted medical device sensors to study implant infection and bone healing. In terms of entrepreneurship, he is a Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors, is a Scientific Advisor to Akadeum Life Sciences, and is a founder and CEO of Aravis BioTech LLC.
Research Interests
Dr. Anker’s research uses a combination of optical spectroscopy and nanoparticles, and implanted medical devices to study chemical and biophysical processes. The interdisciplinary research involves development and application of multifunctional nanoparticle sensors and medical devices. Nanoparticles can act as a platform onto which many components can be loaded. By loading new components onto nanoparticle platforms, new properties are created with diverse applications. Anker has experience with fluorescent, X-ray luminescent, and magnetic nanoparticles for sensing and contrast agents. He also has experience with implanted orthopedic devices with embedded luminescent spectrochemical sensors. His lab is also developing old-school dial-based gauges that are read with plain film radiography (already acquired as part of the standard of care) and that attach to orthopedic devices to measure implant loading to track bone healing and measure local chemical concentrations to detect infection.
Research Group (Lab)
Courses Taught
CH313 Quantitative Analysis
CH315/317 Quantitative Analysis Lab
CH411/611 Instrumental Analysis
CH412 Instrumental Analysis Lab
CH910 Nanosensors
MBIO 8210 Medical Biophysics Core 3 (1 week of team-taught course)
BBT. INT.814-2022-2023-1 Principles of Biochemical Sensors (Tampere University, Tampere Finland; during Fulbright Fellowship/Sabbatical).
Selected Publications
Anker, J. (Ed.) Mefford, O. (Ed.). (Dec 2020). Biomedical Applications of Magnetic Particles. Boca Raton: CRC Press, https://doi.org/10.1201/9781315117058
2019-2022:
Shayesteh Beladi-Behbahani, Sachindra Dulashini Kiridena, Uthpala Nawamali Wijayaratna, Cedric Taylor, Jeffrey Nathan Anker, Tzuen-Rong Jeremy Tzeng.: “pH variation in medical implant biofilms: causes, measurements, and its implications for antibiotic resistance,” Frontiers in Microbiology, 4014, 2022. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2022.1028560
Rajamanthrilage, AC, Levon E, Uzair U, Taylor C, Tzeng TRJ, Anker JN.: “High spatial resolution chemical imaging of implant-associated infections with X-ray Excited Luminescence Chemical Imaging (XELCI) through tissue.” JoVE, 187, (2022). DOI: 10.3791/64252.
Arifuzzaman M., Ranasinghe M., Rajamanthrilage A.C., Bhattacharya S., Anker, J.N.: “Fast and Inexpensive Separation of Bright Phosphor Particles from Commercial Sources by Gravitational and Centrifugal Sedimentation for Deep Tissue X-ray Luminescence Imaging.” Photonics, 9, 347 (2022). DOI: 10.3390/photonics9050347. Special Issue on X-ray Luminescence and Fluorescence.
Angelé-Martínez C., Ameer F.S., Raval Y., Huang G., Tzeng T-R.J., Anker J.N., and Brumaghim J.L.: “Polyphenol Effects on CuO-Nanoparticle-Mediated DNA Damage, Reactive Oxygen Species Generation, and Fibroblast Cell Death,” Toxicology In Vitro, 78, 105252 (2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2021.105252.
Schober G.B. and Anker J.N.: “Radioluminescence Imaging of Drug Elution from Biomedical Implants,” Advanced Functional Materials, 2106508 (2020 Impact Factor= 18.8). 32 (2), 2106508 (2022). DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202106508.
Ranasinghe M., Arifuzzaman M., Rajamanthrilage A.C., Willoughby W.R., Dickey A., McMillen C., Kolis J.W., Bolding M., Anker J.N.: “X-Ray Excited Luminescence Spectroscopy and Imaging with NaGdF4:Eu and Tb,” RSC Advances, 11, 31717 – 31726 (2021).
Lun M.C., Ranasinghe M., Arifuzzaman M., Fang Y. Guo Y., Anker J.N., and Li C.: “Investigation of contrast agents for x-ray luminescence computed tomography” Applied Optics, 60 (23), 6769-6775 (2021). DOI: 10.1364/AO.431080.
Rajamanthrilage A.C., Arifuzzaman M., Millhouse P.W., Pace T.B., Behrend C.J., DesJardins J.D., and Anker J.N.: “A Method to Track Fracture Healing: Measuring Tibial Plate Bending Strain/Bending Under Load with an Attached Fluidic Sensor Read Via Plain Radiography with an Integrated Fluidic Sensor,” IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, (2021). DOI: 10.1109/TBME.2021.3092291.
Wijayaratna U.N., Kiridena S.D., Adams J.D., Behrend C.J., Anker J.N.: “Synovial fluid pH sensor for early detection of prosthetic hip infections,” Advanced Functional Materials (2020 Impact Factor= 18.8), 2104124 (2021). DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202104124.
Suckey M.M., Benza D.W., DesJardins J.D., and Anker J.N.: “Upconversion Spectral Rulers for Transcutaneous Displacement Measurements,” Sensors, 21(10), 3554 (2021). DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/s21103554. Special edition on position sensors.
Ameer F. S., Varahagiri, S., Ranasinghe M., Benza D.W., Hu L., Willet D.R., Wen Y., Chumanov G., Rao A., and Anker J.N.: “Impressively printing patterns of gold and silver nanoparticles.” Nano Select, 1-12 (2021). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/nano.202000278
Lun M.C., Cong W., Arifuzzaman M., Ranasinghe M., Bhattacharya,S., Anker J.N., Wang G., Li C.: “Proposed focused X-ray luminescence imaging system for small animals.” Journal of Biomedical Optics, 26(3), 036004 (2021), DOI: 10.1117/1.JBO.26.3.036004.
Uzair U., Johnson C., Beladi S., Rajamanthrilage A., Benza D., Raval Y., Ranasinghe M., Schober G., Tzeng T.-R. J., and Anker J.N.: “Conformal coating of orthopedic plates with x-ray scintillators and pH indicators for x-ray excited luminescence chemical imaging through tissue.” ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 12, 52343?52353 (2020). DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsami.0c13707
Attia M.F., Ranasinghe M., Akasov R., Anker J.N., Whitehead D.C., and Alexis F.: “In situ preparation of gold–polyester nanoparticles for biomedical imaging.” Biomaterial Science, 8, 3032-3043 (2020). DOI: 10.1039/d0bm00175a. Cover Art.
Suckey, M.M., Benza D.W., Arifuzzaman M., Millhouse P.W., Anderson D., Heath J., DesJardins J.D., and Anker J.N.: “Luminescent spectral rulers for noninvasive displacement measurement through tissue.” ACS Sensors, 5, 711-718 (2020).
Uzair U., Benza D., Behrend C.J., and Anker J.N.: “Noninvasively imaging pH at the surface of implanted orthopedic devices with X-ray excited luminescence chemical imaging (XELCI).” ACS Sensors, 144, 2984-2993 (2019). Labelled Newsworthy by Editor.
Ateia M., Arifuzzaman M., Pellizzeri S., Attia M., Tharayil N., Anker J.N., and Karanfil, T.: “Cationic Polymer for Selective Removal of GenX and Short-chain PFAS from Surface waters and Wastewaters at ng/L Levels.” Water Research, 163, 114874 (2019).
Arifuzzaman M., Millhouse P.W., Raval Y., Pace T.B., Behrend C.J., Behbahani S.B., DesJardins J.D., Tzeng T-R.J, and Anker J.N.: “An implanted pH sensor read using radiography.” Analyst, 144, 2984-2993 (2019).
Other Key X-ray luminescence:
Chen H., Wang F., Moore T.L., Qi B., Sulejmanovic D., Hwu S.-J., Mefford, O.T., Alexis F., and Anker J.N.: “Bright X-ray and up-conversion nanophosphors annealed using encapsulated sintering agents for bioimaging applications.” Chemistry of Materials B, 5, 5412 – 5424 (2017). (DOI: 10.1039/C7TB01289F).
Chen H., Moore T., Qi B., Wang F., Colvin D.C., Sanjeewa D., Gore J.C., Mefford O.T., Hwu S.-J., Alexis F., and Anker J.N.: “Multifunctional yolk-in-shell nanoparticles for pH-triggered drug release and imaging.” Small 10, 3364-3370 (2014). DOI: 10.1002/smll.201303769.
Wang F., Raval Y., Chen H., DesJardins J.D., Tzeng T.-R., and Anker J.N.: "Development of luminescent pH sensor films for monitoring bacterial growth through tissue." Advanced Healthcare Materials, 3, 197-204 (2014).
Moore L.T., Wang F., Chen H., Grimes S.W., Anker J.N., and Alexis F.: “Polymer-Coated Radioluminescent Nanoparticles for Imaging Drug Delivery into Cells.” Advanced Functional Materials, 24, 5815-5823 (2014). DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201400949 Cover Art.
Chen H., Qi B., Moore T., Colvin D.C., Crawford T., Gore J.C., Alexis F., Mefford O.T., and Anker J.N.: "Synthesis of bright PEGylated luminescent magnetic up-conversion nanophosphors for dual MRI and deep tissue imaging." Small, 10, 160-168 (2014).
Chen H., Moore T., Qi B., Colvin D.C., Jelen E.K. Hitchcock D., He J., Mefford O.T., Alexis F., Gore J.C., and Anker J.N.: “Monitoring pH-triggered Drug Release from Radioluminescent Nanocapsules with X-ray Excited Optical Luminescence.” ACS Nano, 7, 1178-1187 (2013). Selected as the article of the month for the ACS Nano Podcast.
Chen H., Rogalski M., and Anker, J.N.: “Advances in functional X-ray imaging techniques and contrast agents.” Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 14 13469-13486 (2012). Invited Review.
Chen H., Patrick, A.L., Yang, Z., VanDerveer D., and Anker J.N.: “High-resolution chemical imaging through tissue with an X-ray scintillator sensor.” Analytical Chemistry, 83, 5045-5049, (2011).
Chen H., Longfield D.E., Varahagiri V.S., Nguyen K.V.T, Patrick A.L., Qiana H., VanDerveer D.G., and Anker J.N.: “Optical imaging in tissue with X-ray excited luminescent sensors.” Analyst 136, 3438-3445 (2011). (Invited Paper, Special Edition on Emerging Investigators; Tagged as a hot article in the Analyst blog).
Other Key Plasmonic Particle Papers:
Ameer F.S., Varahagiri S., Benza D.W., Willett D.R., Wen Y.-M., Wang F., Chumanov G, and Anker J.N.: “Tuning Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance Wavelengths of Silver Nanoparticles by Mechanical Deformation.” Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 120, 20886-20895, (2016). DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.6b02169. Invited article for Special Issue Rick Van Duyne Festschrift.
Wang F., Widejko R.G., Yang Z., Nguyen K.V.T., Chen H, Fernando L.P., Christensen K.A., and Anker, J.N.: “Surface-enhanced Raman scattering detection of pH with silica-encapsulated 4-mercaptobenzoic acid-functionalized silver nanoparticles.” Analytical Chemistry, 84, 8013-8019 (2012).
Hall W.P., Modica J., Anker J.N., Lin Y., Mrksich M., and Van Duyne R.P.: “A Conformation- and Ion-Sensitive Plasmonic Biosensor.” Nano Letters, 11, 1098-1105, (2011).
Bingham J.M., Anker J.N., Kreno L.E., and Van Duyne R.P.: “Gas Sensing with High-Resolution Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance Spectroscopy.” Journal of the American Chemical Society. 132, 17358–17359, (2010). (191 citations).
Anker J.N., Hall W.P., Lambert M.P., Velasco P.T., Mrksich M., Klein W.L., and Van Duyne R.P.: “Detection and Identification of Bioanalytes with High Resolution LSPR Spectroscopy and MALDI Mass Spectrometry.” Journal of Physical Chemistry C., 113, 5891-5894 (2009). (48 citations).
Anker J.N., Hall W.P., Lyandres O., Shah N.C., Zhao J., and Van Duyne R.P.: “Biosensing with Plasmonic Nanosensors.” Nature Materials, 7, 442-453 (2008). Invited Review. (> 6,800 citations).
Other Key Magnetic Particle Papers:
Nguyen K.H.V. and Anker J.N.: “Detecting de-gelation through tissue using magnetically modulated optical nanoprobes (MagMOONs).” Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 15, 313-321 (2014).
Chen H., Sulejmanovic D., Moore T., Colvin D.C., Qi B., Mefford O.T., Gore J.C., Alexis F., Hwu S-J., and Anker J.N.: “Iron-loaded magnetic nanoparticles for pH-triggered adrug release and MRI imaging.” Chemistry of Materials. 26, 2105-2112 (2014). DOI: 10.1021/cm404168a. Selected as an ACS Editor’s Choice.
Anker J.N., Koo Y.E.L., and Kopelman R.: “Magnetically Guiding and Orienting Integrated Chemical Sensors.” Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials. 320, 229-234 (2014). DOI: 10.1016/j.jmmm.2014.02.089i
McNaughton B.H., Kehbein K., Anker J.N., and Kopelman R.: “Sudden Breakdown in Linear Response of a Rotationally Driven Magnetic Microparticle and Application to Physical and Chemical Microsensing.” Journal of Physical Chemistry B., Festschrift in Honor of Robert Sibley, 110, 18958-18964, (2006). Invited paper.
Anker J.N., Behrend C.J., Huang H., and Kopelman R.: “Magnetically Modulated Optical Nanoprobes (MagMOONs) and Systems.” Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials, 293, 655-662, (2005).
Anker J.N. and Kopelman R.: “Magnetically Modulated Optical Nanoprobes.” Applied Physics Letters, 82, 1102-1104, (2003). (Article reviewed in Biophotonics International).
Anker J.N., Behrend C.J., and Kopelman R.: Aspherical Magnetically Modulated Optical Nanoprobes.” Journal of Applied Physics, 93, 6698-6700, (2003).
Anker J.N., Horvath T. D., and Kopelman R.: “Cooking With Nanoparticles: A Simple Method of Forming Pancake, Roll, and Breaded Polystyrene Microparticles.” European Cells and Materials, 3, 95-97, (2002).
Other Key Implant Sensors
Pelham H., Benza D., Millhouse P.W., Carrington N., Arifuzzaman M. Anker J.N., Behrend C.J., and DesJardins J.: “Implantable strain sensor to monitor fracture healing with standard radiography,” Nature Scientific Reports, 7, 1489 (2017).
Carrington N.T., Millhouse P.W., Behrend C.J., Pace T.B., and Anker J.N.: “Measuring Intertrochanteric Fracture Stability with a Novel Strain-Sensing Sliding Hip Screw,” medRxiv (2020). Preprint. https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.09.04.20183251
Rajamanthrilage A.C., Arifuzzaman M., Millhouse P.W., Pace T.B., Behrend C.J., DesJardins J.D., and Anker J.N., “Measuring Orthopedic Plate Strain to Track Bone Healing Using a Fluidic Sensor Read via Plain Radiography,” bioRxiv (2020). Preprint. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.08.27.268169
Bhattacharya S., Schober G., Uzair U., Reel M., Behlow H., Abbaraju V., Rao A.M., Anker, J.: “Ultrasound Luminescence Chemical Imaging: A tool for detection of implant infection via monitoring of pH changes at implant surface” Chemrxiv (2020) Preprint. https://doi.org/10.26434/chemrxiv.13275254.v1
Issued Patents:
Anker J.N., DesJardins J.D., and Behrend C.J.: “Radiographic discernable sensors and orthopedic applications for same” Licensed to Avavis BioTech LLC. in 2018. Spine aspects sublicensed to SpineFrontier 2020. Issued US10667745B2 (2020).
Anker J.N., Rogalski M., Anderson D., and Heath, J.: “Luminescent Tension-Indicating Orthopedic Strain Gauges for Non-Invasive Measurements Through Tissue.” Issued US Patent US20140046191 A1.
US Patent No 8,697,029. Anker J.N., Behrend C., McNaughton B., and Kopelman R.: “Modulated Physical and Chemical Sensors.” (Issued 2014, Filed 2005). Licensed to Life Magnetics Inc., Ann Arbor, MI.
Selected Talks
“Reimagining X-ray Vision,” Spectroscopy Society of Pittsburgh and the Society for Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh, Pittsburg, PA, February 15, 2023 (Invited).
“The curious case of the flashing magnetic microsphere and other stories: Developing novel sensors for biomedical applications.” Keynote talk for Tampere University Research Day November 2022, Tampere, Finland.
Honors and Awards
Clemson College of Science Excellence in Discovery Award 2022.
Fulbright-Tampere University Scholar Award, Finland, 2022.
Clemson College of Science Dean’s Distinguished Professor, Jan 1, 2022-present.
Akadeum Life Sciences Scientific Advisor, 2021-.
Finalist, Innovision Technology Development Category: Team Aravis BioTech (2020).
Finalist, Innovision COVID-19 Category: Team Buoyant And Magnetic (BAM) Assays (2020).
Semi-Finalist, X-Prize COVID-19 Diagnostic Category: Team Buoyand And Magnetic (BAM) Assays (2020).
Senior Member, National Academy of Inventors (NAI), 2019.
Clemson University Inventor’s Club member, 2019.
University Research, Scholarship, and Artistic Achievement Award (USRAAA), 2018.
Clemson University School of Health Research (CUSHR) and Greenville Health System Faculty Fellow, 2018.
Wallace R. Roy Distinguished Professorship, Clemson University, 2017.
Faculty Collaboration Award, Clemson College of Engineering and Sciences, 2014.
NSF CAREER award, 2013.
Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award NIH Postdoctoral Fellowship, NIH, 2005-2008.
Rackham Predoctoral Fellowship, Rackham Graduate School at the University of Michigan, 2003-2004.
Pryor-Hale Business Competition Finalist, Samuel Zell & Robert Laurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies at the University of Michigan Business School, Jan 2004.
Grand Prize Winner of the Collegiate Inventor’s Competition, National Inventors Hall of Fame, 2002.
Applied Physics Fellowship, the University of Michigan, 1998- 2000.
Outreach
Upstate Imagine Booth with Emagine, (April 2016 and 2017).
Chemistry Demos, Beech Springs Intermediate School STEM Family Night (April 26, 2018).
Chemistry Demos, at STEM Camp (June 12, 2018).
NEXT High School Guest Classes (Taught two guest classes, May 2019).
SciGirl Camp Demos (May 2019 and June 2019).
