Ph.D., 1992, Weizmann Institute of Science
M.Sc., 1987, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
B.Sc., 1984, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Research Focus:
We have set an multifaceted platform for the study of molecular layers-solid substrate interactions, covering Organic Chemistry, Surface Science, Molecular and Biomolecular Electronics and Photonics.
Our research group is exploring the role of surface science in assembling novel classes of functional nanolayers and their implementation in molecular and biomolecular electronics and photonics. We investigate fundamental issues related to nanolayers structural organization and growth dictating rational design of a variety of new technologies. Our research is highly interdisciplinary and offers opportunities to advantageously combine principles of synthetic chemistry and materials science to build well defined architectures. The latter are helping us address key issues related to biomedical diagnosis, environmental sensors, unconventional computing, molecular electronics and photoactive materials. While design of new molecules and materials is at the core of our activities, the group is actively involved in a variety of state-of-art characterization studies, including advanced electrochemical methods, spectroscopic ellipsometry, nanoscale electrical measurements, and fabrication of prototype devices.
Our team investigates various routes influencing the surface potential of semiconductors through an oxide layer for the molecular tuning of semiconductors including Si and ITO. Our understanding of the molecular shielding and depolarization effects is implemented in silicon-based transistors and metallic electrodes used in biosensing and neuroelectronic applications.
We study the assembly of monomers on template surfaces containing different dimensionality. These ensembles are then polymerized by chemical or electrochemical or enzymatic methods yielding low dimensionality conducting polymers. Typical templates include 2D substrates, pseudo 3D - pours inorganic semiconductors and 1D biopolymers such as DNA and oligopeptides. The hybrids are examined in biomedical detectors and electrical p-n junctions.
Our interest in self-assembled peptidic monolayers has led us to investigate a new sensing paradigm that is based on structural ordering-disordering transition accompanying enzymatic reactions on molecular layers. Highly selective and sensitive electrochemical biosensor for kinases was designed enabling monitoring variety of enzymatic phosphorylation and dephosphorylation reactions. These biosensors are implemented for lung cancer biomarkers monitoring. Anticancer drugs leads are evaluated based on their kinase inhibitory activity. Additionally, post-translation modification derived biomarkers for autoimmune diseases including multiple sclerosis are studied. We also investigate neuroelectronic hybrids for neurons electrical and chemical signaling. Realization of electrical coupling between neurons and MOS transistors and CNTs derived devices are investigated in relation to chemical and topological ques. Electronic and photonic neurotransmitters detectors containing artificial receptors are investigated in light of optimized affinity and novel signal transduction schemes.
Selected Publications
1. E. Amit, O. Rofeamor, Y-T. Wang, R. Zhuravel, A.J.F. Reyes, S. Elbaz, D. Rotem, D. Porath, A. Friedler, Yu-Ju Chen, S. Yitzchaik Integrating proteomics with electrochemistry for identifying kinase biomarkers Chem. Sci., 2015, 6, 4756 – 4766.
2. Nahor, A.; Shalev, I.; Sa’ar, A.; Yitzchaik S. Optical and Electrooptical Properties of Porous Silicon- Conjugated Polymers Composite Structures Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2015, 7, 1212–1217.
3. Snir, E.; Joore, J.; Timmerman, P.; Yitzchaik, S.Monitoring selectivity in kinase-promoted phosphorylation of peptidic substrates using label-free electrochemical detection methods Langmuir, 2011, 27, 11212-11221.
4. Bardavid, Y.; Goykhman, I.; Nozaki, D.; Cuniberti, G.; Yitzchaik, S.Dipole Assisted Photo-Gated Switch in Spiropyran Grafted Polyaniline Nanowires J. Phys. Chem. C 2011, 115, 3123–3128.
5. Vaganova, E.; Wachtel, E.; Leitus, G.; Danovich, D.; Lesnichin, S.; Shenderovich, I.G.; Limbach, H.-H.; Yitzchaik, S. Photoinduced Proton Transfer in a Pyridine Based Polymer Gel J. Phys. Chem. B 2010, 114, 10728-10733.
6. Goykhman, I.; Korbakov, N.; Bartic, C.; Borghs, G.; Spira , M.E.; Shappir, J.; Yitzchaik S.Direct Detection of Molecular Bio-Recognition by Dipole Sensing Mechanism J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2009, 131, 4788-4794.
7. Peor, N.; Sfez, R.; Yitzchaik, S. Variable Density Effect of Self-Assembled Polarizable Monolayers on the Electronic Properties of Silicon J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2008, 130, 4158-4165.
8. Sfez, R.; De-Zhong, L.; Turyan, I.; Mandler, D.; Yitzchaik, S. Polyaniline Monolayer Self-Assembled on Hydroxyl-Terminated Surfaces Langmuir 2001, 17, 2556-2559.
9. Burtman, V.; Zelichenok, A.; Yitzchaik S. Organic Quantum-Confined Structures via Molecular Layer Epitaxy Angew. Chem. Int. Eng. Ed. 1999, 38, 2041-2045.
10. Cohen, R.; Zenou, N.; Cahen, D.; Yitzchaik, S. Molecular Electronic Tuning of Si Surfaces Chem. Phys. Lett. 1997, 279, 270-274.