Alexey Yashchenok

• Biosensors for early stage diseases diagnosis and prognosis

This direction is focused on the development biosensors in combination with photonic methods that are capable of isolating and analyzing valuable biomarkers circulating in bodily fluids. Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) serve as proteomic and genetic biomarkers, while nanostructured materials (core-shell and magnetic beads) specific to membrane receptor of sEVs along with photonic methods, e.g. flow cytometry, Raman spectroscopy are used for isolation and analysis of pathologically relevant sEVs.

• Intercellular sensing and cellular communication

This research topic aims to get insight into complex cellular processes such as gene expression or drug response by label-free biomolecule detection in live single cell merging the strength of nanomaterials, photonic methods and fundamental cell biology. A very promising class of materials for this research is multicompartment particles/containers, which are responding to different stimuli. Multicompartmentalization is an attractive strategy because it allows for assembling or encapsulating several types of molecules/nanomaterials simultaneously in the same carrier. Such an approach is particularly suitable for theranostics as some compartments are intended for diagnostics, while other subcompartments are to be used for treatment.

• Multifunctional nanostructures and materials

This research is devoted to the development of multimodal particles and architectures by integrating various nanomaterials, e.g. fluorescent dyes, plasmonic nanoparticles, carbon-based nanomaterials, and others in one single entity, for biomedical applications, such as in vivo multimodal imaging, sensing and treatment. Beside that these particles and structures will be explored for random lasing and spacing, which can be promising for application in photonic integrated circuits, ultra-fast spectroscopy, telecommunications and signal processing.

Since June 26 2019 Co-founder and CEO of the spin-off company “TETRAQUANT”

Funding

• “Functional magnetic beads for isolation of extracellular vesicles and evaluation their pathological capacity”, RSF, Project N 23-74-00022, (2023-2026, 7,000,000 rub per year), Principal Investigator.
• “A new approach for the treatment of viral infections of the respiratory tract, including SARS-CoV-2, based on targeted delivery of vaterite particles with encapsulated ribonuclease”, RFBR Foundation, Project 20-04-60150: (2020-2022, 6,000,000 per year), Principal Investigator. Academic partners: Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry.
• “Bioactive ultrasound-driven microbubbles for theranostics” RFBR Foundation, Project  19-53-80047 БРИКC, Executor.
• “Platform for Detection of Human Health Markers at Point-of-Care (POC): An Interface of the Physical and Life Sciences”, the Skoltech Translational Research and Innovation Program, (Responsible Executor).
• “Label-free single molecule detection based on Raman scattering on self-assembled gold nanoparticles”, Alexander von Humboldt Scholarship, Max-Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam, Germany (Principal Investigator).
• “Multicomponent nanocomposite microcontainers with remote control properties”, German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) Scholarship, (Referat 325 A/09/03626), Max-Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam, Germany (Principal Investigator).
• “SERS structures based on inorganic porous particles decorated with plasmon resonance nanoparticles as a sensor system for intracellular studies”, RFBR research project no. 15-29-01172 ofi_m (Responsible Executor).
• “Fabrication and exploration of multifunctional microcontainers with remote controlling properties”, Joint Research Project Queen Mary University of London, United Kingdom – Saratov State University, Russian Federation, (Executor).
• “Fabrication of water suspension of microcapsules with nanocomposite shells sensitive to electromagnetic irradiation”, Joint Research project between RFBR (Interaction of microwave irradiation with nanostructured materials № 06-02-04009) and DFG (436 RUS 113/844/0-1 Remote (microwave) activated release from composite nanoparticle/polymer microcapsules), (Executor).
• “Fabrication of water suspension of microcapsules with nanocomposite shells sensitive to ultrasound”, Joint Research project between RFBR (Interaction of microwave irradiation with nanostructured materials № 06-02-04009) and DFG (436 RUS 113/844/0-1 Remote (microwave) activated release from composite nanoparticle/polymer microcapsules), (Executor).
• “Fabrication of polyelectrolyte microcapsules with nanoparticles”, Government of the Russian Federation, No. 02.513.11.3043, “Functionalized nanoparticles with controlled plasmon resonance and polyelectrolyte microcapsules with nanoparticles in the shell”, 2007-3-1.3-07-01-081, (Executor).
• “Fabrication and exploration of physical properties of nanocomposite micro- and nanostructures”, 2006-РИ-19.0/001/051, Government of the Russian Federation No. 02.442.11.7249, (Executor).
• “Remote controlled nanostructured systems for targeted delivery and diagnostics”, Government of the Russian Federation (grant no. 14.Z50.31.0004 to support scientiаc research projects implemented under the supervision of leading scientists at Russian institutions and Russian institutions of higher education), (Executor).

1. V.S. Chernyshev, D. Nozdriukhin, R. Chuprov-Netochin, E. Tsydenzhapova, M. Novoselova, D. Gorin, A. Yashchenok Engineered multicompartment vesicosomes for selective uptake by living cells Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, 2022, 112953, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfb.2022.112953
2. Alexey M. Yashchenok, Vasiliy S. Chernyshev, Elena V. Konovalova, Roman Kholodenko, Ekaterina Tsydenzhapova, Victoria O. Shipunova, Alexey A. Schulga, Sergey M. Deyev, Dmitry A. Gorin Anti-CD63-Oligonucleotide Functionalized Magnetic Beads for the Rapid Isolation of Small Extracellular Vesicles and Detection of EpCAM and HER2 Membrane Receptors using DARPin Probes Analysis&Sensing, 2022, e202200059.
3. T.O. Abakumova, O.I. Gusliakova, J. Cvjetinovic, O.I. Efimova, E.V. Konovalova, A.A. Schulga, T.S. Zatsepin, D.A. Gorin, A.M. Yashchenok, S.M. Deyev Barnase-Loaded Vaterite Nanoparticles Functionalized by EpCAM Targeting Vectors for the Treatment of Lung Diseases ACS Appl. Nano Mater. 2022, 5, 8, 10744-10754.
4.  V.S. Chernyshev, R.N. Chuprov-Netochin, E. Tsydenzhapova, E.V. Svirshchevskaya, R.A. Poltavtseva, A. Merdalimova, A. Yashchenok, A. Keshelava, K. Sorokin, V. Keshelava, G.T. Sukhikh, D. Gorin, S. Leonov, M. Skliar Asymmetric depth-filtration: A versatile and scalable method for high-yield isolation of extracellular vesicles with low contamination J ExtracellVesicles. 2022, 11:e12256.
5. Daniil Nozdriukhin, Sandeep Kumar Kalva, Weiye Li, Jim Zhao, Alexey Yashchenok, Dmitry Gorin, Daniel Razansky, and Xosé Luís Deán-Ben Optoacoustic visualization of individual core-shell microparticles in vivo, Proc. SPIE 11960, Photons Plus Ultrasound: Imaging and Sensing 2022, 1196016 (3 March 2022); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2608617.
6. Merdalimova, A.A.; Rudakovskaya, P.G.; Ermatov, T.I.; Smirnov, A.S.; Kosolobov, S.S.; Skibina, J.S.; Demina, P.A.; Khlebtsov, B.N.; Yashchenok, A.M.; Gorin, D.A. SERS Platform Based on Hollow-Core Microstructured Optical Fiber: Technology of UV-Mediated Gold Nanoparticle Growth. Biosensors 2022, 12, 19.
7. Nozdriukhin, Daniil; Kalva, Sandeep; Li, Weiye; Yashchenok, Alexey; Gorin, Dmitry; Razansky, Daniel; Dean Ben, Xose Luis Rapid volumetric optoacoustic tracking of individual microparticles in vivo enabled by a NIR-absorbing gold-carbon shell ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2021, 13, 41, 48423–48432.
8. Elizaveta A. Maksimova, Roman A. Barmin, Polina G. Rudakovskaya, Olga A. Sindeeva, Ekaterina S. Prikhozhdenko, Alexey M. Yashchenok, Boris N. Khlebtsov, Gaoshan Huang, Yongfeng Mei, Krishna Kanti Dey, Alexander A. Solovev, Dmitry A. Gorin Bubble-micromotors Based on Albumin Functionalized with Gold Nanocages and Zinc Phthalocyanine for Multimodal Imaging Micromashines, 2021, 12, 1161. https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12101161.
9. A. Yashchenok, O. Gusliakova, E. Konovalova, M. V. Novoselova, V. Shipunova, T. O. Abakumova, O. Efimova, R. Kholodenko, A. Shulga, T. Zatsepin, D. Gorin and S. Deyev, Barnase encapsulation into submicron porous CaCO3 particles – studies of loading and enzyme activity J. Mater. Chem. B, 2021, DOI: 10.1039/D1TB01315G.
10. Vasiliy S. Chernyshev, Roman N. Chuprov-Netochin, Ekaterina Tsydenzhapova, Elena V. Svirshchevskaya, Rimma A. Poltavtseva, Anastasiia Merdalimova, Alexey Yashchenok, Amiran Keshelava, Konstantin Sorokin, Varlam Keshelava, Gennadiy T. Sukhikh, Dmitry Gorin, Sergey Leonov, Mikhail Skliar Asymmetric depth-filtration – a versatile and scalable approach for isolation and purification of extracellular vesicles bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.08.23.457333.
11. D. Nozdriukhin, N. Besedina, V. Chernyshev, O. Efimova, P. Rudakovskaya, M. Novoselova, D. Bratashov, R. Chuprov-Netochin, R. Kamyshinsky, A. Vasiliev, D. Chermoshentsev, S.A. Dyakov, V. Zharov, N. Gippius, D.A. Gorin, A. Yashchenok Gold nanoparticle-carbon nanotube multilayers on silica microspheres: Optoacoustic-Raman enhancement and potential biomedical applications Materials Science & Engineering C 2021, 120, 111736.
12. A.M. Yashchenok, V.S. Chernyshev, P.G. Rudakovskaya, A.A. Merdalimova, D.A. Gorin, V.O. Shipunova, A.A. Schulga, S.M. Deev “Nano- and microparticles for isolation of exosome subpopulations and their analysis” Russian Patent, conception of the technology: N 2733884, N 2020102930, Priority date 24/01/2020.
13. Saveleva, E.S. Prikhozhdenko, D. Gorin, A.G Skirtach, A. Yashchenok, B. Parakhonskiy Polycaprolactone-based, porous CaCO3 and Ag nanoparticle modified scaffolds as a SERS platform with molecule-specific adsorption Frontiers in Chemistry Analytical Chemistry, 2020, doi: 10.3389/fchem.2019.00888.
14. Cvjetinovic, A.I. Salimon, M.V. Novoselova, P.V. Sapozhnikov, E.A. Shirshin, A.M. Yashchenok, O.Yu. Kalinina, AM. Korsunsky, D.A. Gorin Photoacoustic and fluorescence lifetime imaging of diatoms Photoacoustics 18 (2020) 100171.
15. A. Merdalimova, V. Chernyshev, D. Nozdriukhin, P. Rudakovskaya, D. Gorin, A. Yashchenok Identification and Analysis of Exosomes by Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Appl. Sci., Special Issue “Surfaced Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) in Disease Diagnosis” 2019, 9(6), 1135; doi:10.3390/app9061135.
16. R. Kamyshinsky, I. Marchenko, B. Parakhonskiy, A. Yashchenok, Y. Chesnokov, A. Mikhutkin, D. Gorin, A. Vasiliev, T. Bukreeva Composite materials based on Ag nanoparticles in situ synthesized on the vaterite porous matrices Nanotechnology, 2019, 30, 035603.
17. E.S. Prikhozhdenko, D.N. Bratashov, V.S. Atkin, R.A. Kamyshinsky, A.L. Vasiliev, B.N. Khlebtsov, D.A. Gorin, H. Möhwald, A.M. Yashchenok Precise Control of Distance between Plasmonic SERS Substrate and Analyte Molecules with Polyelectrolyte Layers J Raman Spectrosc., 2018, 49,1581-1593.
18. E.S. Prikhozhdenko, D.N. Bratashov, D.A. Gorin, A.M. Yashchenok Flexible SERS-active substrates made of nanofibrous membranes Nano Research, 2018, 11 (9), 4468–4488.
19. А. Abalymov, R. Verhovskiy, M. Novoselova, B. Parakhonskiy, D. Gorin, A. Yashchenok, G. Sukhorukov Live-Cell Imaging by Confocal Raman and Fluorescence Microscopy Recognizes the Crystal Structure of Calcium Carbonate Particles in HeLa Cells Biotechnology Journal, 2018, DOI: 10.1002/biot.201800071.
20. Ekaterina S. Prikhozhdenko, Daniil N. Bratashov, Andrei V. Sapelkin, Alexey M. Yashchenok, Gleb B. Sukhorukov, Goryacheva I.Yu. Solvothermal Synthesis of Hydrophobic Carbon Dots in Reversed Micelles Journal of Nanoparticle Research, 2018, DOI: 10.17632/cd4ht4dvp8.1.
21. V. Parakhonskiy, A.M. Yashchenok, H. Mӧhwald, D. Volodkin, A.G. Skirtach Release from polyelectrolyte multilayer capsules in solution and on polymeric surfaces Advanced Materials Interfaces 2017, 4, 1600273.
22. S. Prikhozhdenko, V.S. Atkin, B.V. Parakhonskiy, I.A. Rybkin, A. Lapanje, G.B. Sukhorukov, D.A. Gorin, A.M. Yashchenok New post-processing method of preparing nanofibrous SERS substrates with a high density of silver nanoparticles RSC Adv., 2016, 6, 84505–84511.
23. Donatan, A. Yashchenok, N. Khan, B. Parakhonskiy, M. Cocquyt, B. Pinchasik, D. Khalenkow, H. Möhwald, M. Konrad, A. Skirtach, Loading Capacity versus Enzyme Activity in Anisotropic and Spherical Calcium Carbonate Microparticles, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces. 2016, 8 (22), 14284-14292.
24. A.M. Yashchenok, J. Jose, P. Trochet, G.B. Sukhorukov, D.A. Gorin Multifunctional polyelectrolyte microcapsules as a contrast agent for photoacoustic imaging in blood J. Biophotonics 2016, 9, No. 8, 792-799.
25. Parakhonskiy, M. V Zyuzin, A. Yashchenok, S. Carregal‑Romero, J. Rejman, H. Möhwald, W.J. Parak, A.G. Skirtach The influence of the size and aspect ratio of anisotropic, porous CaCO3 particles on their uptake by cells J Nanobiotechnol 2015, 13, 53.
26. Stetciura, I.Y., Yashchenok, A., Masic, A., Lyubin, E.V., Inozemtseva, O.A., Drozdova, M.G., Markvichova, E.A., Khlebtsov, B.N., Fedyanin, A.A., Sukhorukov, G.B., Gorin, D.A., Volodkin, D. Composite SERS-based satellites navigated by optical tweezers for single cell analysis Analyst 2015, 140, 4981-4986.
27. A.N. Severyukhina, B.V. Parakhonskiy, E.S. Prikhozhdenko, D.A. Gorin, G.B. Sukhorukov, H. Moehwald, A.M. Yashchenok Nanoplasmonic Chitosan Nanofibers as Effective SERS Substrate for Detection of Small Molecules ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2015, 7, 15466-15473.
28. Yashchenok, A., Masic, A., Gorin, D., Inozemtseva, O., Shim, B.S., Kotov, N., Skirtach, A., Möhwald, H. Optical Heating and Temperature Determination of Core–Shell Gold Nanoparticles and Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Microparticles. Small 2015, 11, 1320-1327.
29. Parakhonskiy, B.V., Yashchenok, A.M., Donatan, S., Volodkin, D.V., Tessarolo, F., Antolini, R., Möhwald, H., Skirtach, A.G. Macromolecule loading into spherical, elliptical, star-like and cubic calcium carbonate carriers. ChemPhysChem. 2014, 15, 2817-2822.
30. Parakhonskiy B.V., Yashchenok, A., Konrad, M., Skirtach, A.G. Colloidal Micro- and Nano- Particles as Templates for Polyelectrolyte Multilayer Capsules. Advances in Colloid and Interface Science 2014, 207, 253-264.
31. Wuytens, B. Parakhonskiy, A. Yashchenok, M. Winterhalter, A. Skirtach Pharmacological aspects of release from microcapsules – from polymeric multilayers to lipid membranes Current Opinion in Pharmacology 2014, 18:129-140.
32. Karamitros, C.S., Yashchenok, A.M., Möhwald, H., Skirtach, A.G., M. Konrad Preserving catalytic activity and enhancing biochemical stability of the therapeutic enzyme asparaginase by biocompatible multilayered polyelectrolyte microcapsules. Biomacromolecules 2013, 14, 4398-4406.
33. Yashchenok, A., Parakhonskiy, B., Donatan, S., Kohler, D., Skirtach, A., Möhwald H. Polyelectrolyte multilayer microcapsules templated on spherical, elliptical and square calcium carbonate particles. J. Mater. Chem. B 2013, 1, 1223-1228.
34. Yashchenok, A., Masic, A., Gorin, D., Shim, B.S., Kotov, N.A., Fratzl, P., Möhwald, H., Skirtach A. Nanoengineered Colloidal Probes for Raman-based Detection of Biomolecules inside Living Cells. Small 2013, 9, 351-356.
35. Marchenko, I., Yashchenok, A. , Borodina, T., Bukreeva, T., Konrad, M., Möhwald, H., Skirtach, A. Controlled enzyme-catalyzed degradation of polymeric capsules templated on CaCO3: Influence of the number of LbL layers, conditions of degradation, and disassembly of multicompartments. Journal of Controlled Release 2012, 162, 599-605.
36. Delcea, M., Sternberg, N., Yashchenok, A.M., Georgieva, R., Bäumler, H., Möhwald, H., Skirtach, A.G. Nanoplasmonics for Dual Molecule Release through Nanopores in the Membrane of Red Blood Cells. ACSNano 2012, 6, 4169-4180.
37. Skirtach A.G., Yashchenok A.M., Möhwald H. Encapsulation, release and applications of LbL polyelectrolyte multilayer capsules. Chem. Commun. 2011, 47, 12736-12746.
38. Yashchenok A.M., Delcea M., Videnova K., Jares-Erijman E.A., Jovin T.M., Konrad M., Möhwald H., Skirtach A.G. Enzyme Reaction in the Pores of CaCO₃ Particles upon Ultrasound Disruption of Attached Substrate-Filled Liposomes. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2010, 49, 8116-8120.
39. Yashchenok, A.M., Bratashov, D.N., Gorin, D.A., Lomova, M.V., Pavlov, A.M., Sapelkin, A.V., Shim, B.S., Khomutov, G.B., Kotov, N.A., Sukhorukov, G.B., Möhwald, H., Skirtach, A.G. Carbon Nanotubes on Polymeric Microcapsules: Free-Standing Structures and Point-wise Laser Opening. Adv. Func. Mater. 2010, 20, 3136-3142.

Book contributions

E.S. Prikhozhdenko, D.A. Gorin, A.M. Yashchenok Raman spectroscopy, antiterrorism safety // Advanced technologies for aircraft industry: Analytical review – М.: «NAUKA», 2017 – 463 p.: images. ISBN 978-5-02-040100-6.Klimov B.N., Shtykov S.N., Gorin D.A., Inozemtceva O.A., Gluhovskoy E.G., Yashchenok A.M., Kolesnikova T.A. Physico-chemistry of nanostructured materials // Tutorial for students of nano- and biomedical technologies department of Saratov State University, Saratov, 2009, 218 p., ISBN 978-5-98116-055-4.

09/2014 – 01/2017         Doctor of Science in Biophysics, Saratov State University, Saratov, Russia

09/2004 – 05/2007          Candidate of Science in Physics, Saratov State University, Saratov, Russia,

09/2002 – 06/2004          Master of Science in Physics, Saratov State University, Saratov, Russia

09/1998 – 06/2002          Bachelor of Science in Physics, Saratov State University, Saratov, Russia

Physically and chemically responsive micro- and nanostructures, drug delivery systems, Nanobiotechnology, Label-free and Single molecule detection, Raman and Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy, Biophysics, Biophysical Chemistry.

German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) Scholarship (2009), Research project “Multicomponent nanocomposite microcontainers with remote control properties”, Max-Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam, Germany

Alexander von Humboldt Scholarship (2012), Research project “Label-free single molecule detection based on Raman scattering on self-assembled gold nanoparticles”, Max-Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam, Germany

Saratov State University N.G. Chernyshevsky

Graduate student guidance: 7 bachelors; 4 master students.

Postgraduate student: E.S. Prihozhodenko, admission year – 2014, postgraduate studies were successfully completed in July 2019. Dissertation defense in January 2020. Defense of a thesis in the specialty 03.01.02 – Biophysics, October 14, 2021 (dissertation council of FBMF 03.01.02.019. Federal State Autonomous Educational Institution of Higher Education “Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (National Research University)”).

Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology

Graduate student co-guidance:  master student (D. Nozdriukhin).
Postgraduate student co-guidance: A. Merdalimova (admission year – 2019), D. Nozdriukhin (admission year – 2020).

TetraQuant Company supervisor of two master students (Nikita Grishaev and Olga Griaznova) of Skoltech Industrial Immersion 2022.

Saratov State University N.G. Chernyshevsky
1) Read a course of lectures “Physicochemistry of nanostructured materials” and “Basics of molecular electronics” (2009-2012).
2) Read a course of lectures “Intelligent materials for encapsulation”, “Physicochemical foundations of encapsulation and the creation of nanocomposite materials”, “Materials and technologies of molecular electronics” (2016-2017).

Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology
1) Development of a course of lectures and laboratory work for the course “Physics of colloids and phase boundaries”, lectured and conducted laboratory practice for the named course.
2) Conducted laboratory practice on the course “Biomedical Photonics”.