Prof. Anees Ahmad Ansari

King Saud University, Saudi Arabia

Bio.: Dr. Anees Ahmad Ansari is a Full Professor at the King Abdullah Institute for Nanotechnology (KAIN), King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He is a leading researcher in the field of luminescent nanomaterials, particularly focusing on trivalent lanthanide (Ln³⁺) ions and their applications in bioimaging, diagnostics, photovoltaics, and chemical sensing. Dr. Ansari has made significant contributions to the design, synthesis, and functionalization of rare-earth-doped nanostructures and metal oxide-based electrochemical biosensors. He received his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi in 2004, followed by postdoctoral research at the University of Delhi and the National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL). Dr. Ansari has authored over 220 peer-reviewed journal publications, contributed to 4 book chapters, and published 1 scientific book. As of April 2025, his work has garnered 9,300+ citations, with an h-index of 56 (Google Scholar). He has been named in the Stanford University Global Ranking of Top 2% Scientists for six consecutive years (2019–2024). His research emphasizes the development of cost-effective, eco-friendly synthetic routes, luminescence enhancement strategies, and device-level integration of advanced materials. Notably, his group has developed several lanthanide-doped oxide systems and rare-earth nanophosphors with improved quantum efficiency for photonic and biosensing platforms. Dr. Ansari is also a dedicated science communicator and mentor. He has delivered over 20 invited talks and keynote addresses, conducted international workshops, and supervised multiple graduate students and postdocs. His continued efforts to bridge fundamental research and applied nanotechnology position him among the most impactful researchers in the field of materials chemistry and nanoscience.

Title: Nanostructured Materials Powering the Future of Smart Sensing/Detection Technologies

This presentation delves into recent developments in the fabrication of high-resolution, multifunctional nanostructured-based sensor arrays enabled by MEMS/NEMS architectures, 3D nano-printing, and atomic layer deposition. The emphasis will be placed on label-free biosensing using plasmonic, and photonic crystal-based platforms, electrochemical transduction with nanostructured electrodes, and hybrid integration of 2D materials (e.g., carbonaceous, MoS₂, etc.) to enhance signal sensitivity and selectivity. The integration of advanced sensing detection technologies with micro- and nano-manufacturing platforms is catalyzing transformative innovations across biomedical diagnostics, environmental surveillance, and industrial automation. Current emerging approaches such as nanostructures deposited electrodes, flexible/stretchable substrates, and AI-integrated sensor fusion systems will be discussed, with case studies highlighting femtomolar detection limits in point-of-care diagnostics and biosensing/bioprobe in environmental applications. Present fabrication challenges including throughput scalability, material heterogeneity, and system integration will be addressed. The precision nanofabrication technique with the functionality of embedded sensing, these platforms are paving the way for real-time, miniaturized systems with profound implications for decentralized sensing and next-generation electronic sensing/ detection devices.