Brian J. Polk, Ph.D.

Contact Information Email: brian.polk@nist.gov Phone: (301) 975-6347 Fax:(301) 948-4081 Address: 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8120 Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8120

Biography Brian J. Polk is a National Academy of Science / National Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST, Gaithersburg, Maryland)).  He works with Dr. Michael Gaitan in the MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) project in the Semiconductor Electronics Division.  His research, in collaboration with Dr. John J. Kasianowicz and others, aims to develop nanometer scale restrictions in fluidics systems for use in the analysis of DNA and protein transport.  The solid-state nanopore project relies on thin film processing / microfabrication techniques, electrochemical analysis, and optical and electron microscopic imaging.  Brian is also aiding the development of micromachined reference electrodes for use in microfluidic systems. Brian received a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from the Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, Georgia) in 2002.  His research under Prof. Jiri Janata focused on chemically sensitive field-effect transistor arrays (ChemFETs) for use in chemical sensor applications.  Brian microfabricated the ChemFET array in silicon with lithographic techniques.  He also developed materials based on the conducting polymer, polyaniline, for use as the chemically active component of the array.  Brian was recipient of the Presidential Fellowship from Georgia Tech, the Graduate Research Fellowship from the Division of Analytical Chemistry of the American Chemical Society, and a Traineeship in Environmental Science from the National Science Foundation.  With support from the ACS fellowship, Brian was able to spend three months at Dublin City University (Dublin, Ireland) working with Prof. Dermont Diamond on doping polyaniline films with calixarenes. Brian received a B.S. in Chemistry Summa Cum Laude from Christian Brothers University (Memphis, Tennessee) in 1997.  Brian took part in a National Science Foundation research experience for undergraduates (REU) program at the University of Kentucky (Lexington, Kentucky) mentored by Prof. John P. Selegue. Publications “Micro-Electroplating Silver on Shart Edges for Fabrication of Solid-State Nanopores” Polk, B.J.; Bernard, M.; Kasianowicz, J.J.; Misakian, M.; Gaitan, M. in preparation.  “Micro-Reference Electrodes for Use in Microfluidic Systems: Fabrication and Comparison of Surface Treatments” Polk, B.J.; Mijares, G.; MacCrehan, W.; Gaitan, M. in preparation. ”Role of Protonic and Charge Transfer Doping in Solid-State Polyaniline” Polk, B.J.; Potje-Kamloth, K.; Josowicz, M.; Janata, J. J. Phys. Chem. B 2002, 106, 11457-11462. ”Doping of Polyaniline in the Solid State with Photogenerated Triflic Acid” Potje-Kamloth, K.; Polk, B.J.; Josowicz, M.; Janata, J. Chem. Mater. 2002, 14, 2782-2787. ”Photochemical Tuning of Filed-Effect Transistor with Polyaniline Gate Conductor” Potje-Kamloth, K.; Polk, B.J.; Josowicz, M.; Janata, J. Adv. Mater. 2001, 13, 1797-1800. “ISE Analysis of Hydrogen Sulfide in Cigarette Smoke” Li, G.; Polk, B.J.; Meazell, L.A.; Hatchett, D.W. J. Chem. Ed. 2000, 77, 1049-1052. ”Design of Solid State Array for Simultaneous Potentiometric and Impedance Sensing in Gas Phase” Polk, B.J.; Smith, J.A.; DeWeerth, S.P.; Zhou, Z.; Janata, J.; Domansky, K. Electroanalysis 1999, 11, 707-711. Presentations “Bio-Nanopore Models using Hybrid Photolithographic-Electrochemical Fabrication” Polk, B.J.; Bernard, M.; Kasianowicz, J.J.; Misakian, M.; Gaitan, M. poster, The Electrochemical Society, 204th Meeting, Orlando, Florida, October 2003. “Hybrid Micromachined/Electroplated Solid-State Nanopores for Chemical Analysis” Polk, B.J.; Bernard, M.; Kasianowicz, J.J.; Misakian, M.; Gaitan, M. poster, American Chemical Society, 226th National Meeting, New York, New York, September 2003. “Exploring Hybrid Micromachine – Electroplate Fabrication of Solid-State Nanopores” Polk, B.J.; Bernard, M.; Kasianowicz, J.J.; Misakian, M.; Gaitan, M. poster, Gordon Research Conference, Physics and Chemistry of Microfluidics, Big Sky, Montana, August 2003. “Hybrid Electrochemical Fabrication of Solid-State Nanopores” Polk, B.J.; Misakian, M.; Kasianowicz, J.J.; Gaitan, poster, 36th Middle Atlantic Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Princeton, New Jersey, June 2003. “MicroReference Electrodes for Microfluidic Applications” Mijares, G.; Polk, B.J.; MacCrehan, W.; Gaitan, M. poster, MEMS Alliance, College Park, Maryland, April 2003. “Towards Fabrication of Solid-State Mimics of Biological Nanopores” Polk, B.J., , M., poster, NIST Sigma Xi, Gaithersburg, Maryland, February 2003. “ChemFET Arrays for Chemical Sensing Microsystems” Polk, B.J.; Janata, J. invited talk, IEEE Sensors Conference, Orlando, Florida, June 2002. “Tuning Polyaniline Properties for Chemically Sensitive Field-Effect Transistors” invited talk, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland, November 2001. “Solid-State Chemical Sensing Arrays Using Calixarene / Polyaniline Selective Layers” Memphis Area Engineering and Science Conference, Memphis, Tennessee, May 2001. “Doping of Polyaniline with 4-tert-Butylcalix[4]arene Tetraacetic Acid” poster, Georgia Tech Nations Symposium, Atlanta, Georgia, October 2000.