Milan Vala, Ph.D.

Research interests:

Nano-optics, nanofabrication, biophotonics, plasmonics, optical sensors.

Professional activities:

2017 – present: Postdoctoral researcher, Nano Optics, Institute of Photonics and Electronics ASCR, v.v.i.,  Prague, Czech Republic

2016 – 2017: Postdoctoral researcher, Laboratory of Nanostructures and Biosensing, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA

2006 - 2016: Research assistant, Optical biosensors, Institute of Photonics and Electronics, ASCR, v.v.i., Prague, Czech Republic

Education:

2015:  Ph.D. in Quantum optics and optoelectronics, Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics

2006: MSc. in Optics and optoelectronics, Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics

Selected publications:

Book chapters

1. Adam P., Piliarik M., Šípová H., Špringer T., Vala M. and Homola J., Principles of SPR biosensors, Photonic Sensing: Principles and Applications for Safety and Security Monitoring (Wiley Series in Microwave and Optical Engineering), editors Gaozhi Xiao, Wojtek Bock, 2012.

1. M. Vala, Ch. T. Ertsgaard, N. J. Wittenberg, S. H. Oh, Plasmonic Sensing on Symmetric Nanohole Arrays Supporting High-Q Hybrid Modes and Reflection Geometry, ACS Sensors (2019).
2. Vala M., Homola J., Multiple beam interference lithography: A tool for rapid fabrication of plasmonic arrays of arbitrary shaped nanomotifs, Optics Express 24(14), 15656-15665 (2016).
3. H. Vaisocherová-Lísalová, F. Surman, I. Víšová, M. Vala, T. Špringer, M. L. Ermini, H. Šípová, P. Šedivák, M. Houska, T. Riedel, O. Pop-Georgievski, E. Brynda, J. Homola: Copolymer Brush-Based Ultralow-Fouling Biorecognition Surface Platform for Food Safety, Analytical Chemistry 88, 10533–10539 (2016).
4. Vala M. and Homola J., Flexible method based on four-beam interference lithography for fabrication of large areas of perfectly periodic plasmonic arrays, Optics Express 22(15), 18778-18789 (2014).
5. Sharma N., Petri C., Jonas U., Bach M., Tovar G., Mrkvová K., Vala M., Homola J., Knoll W., Dostálek J., Molecular Imprinted Polymer Waveguides for Direct Optical Detection of Small Molecules, Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics 215, 2295–2304 (2014).
6. Toma K., Vala M., Adam P., Homola J., Knoll W. and Dostálek J., Compact surface plasmon-enhanced fluorescence biochip. Optics Express 21(8), 10121-10132 (2013).
7. Vala M., Robelek R., Bocková M., Wegener J., Homola J, Real-time label-free monitoring of the cellular response to osmotic stress using conventional and long-range surface plasmons, Biosensors & Bioelectronics 40(1), 417-421 (2013).
8. Kvasnička P., Chadt K., Vala M., Bocková M., Homola J., Toward single-molecule detection with sensors based on propagating surface plasmons, Optics Letters, 37(2), 163-165 (2012).
9. Vala M., Chadt K., Piliarik M., Homola J., High-performance compact SPR sensor for multi-analyte sensing. Sensors and Actuators B: Chem, 148(2), 544 549 (2010).
10. Piliarik M., Vala M., Tichý I., Homola J.: Compact and low-cost biosensor based on novel approach to spectroscopy of surface plasmons, Biosensors & Bioelectronics, 24(12), 3430–3435 (2009).
11. Vala M., Etheridge S.,  Roach J.A., Homola J., Long-range surface plasmons for sensitive detection of bacterial analytes, Sens. Actuators B:Chem., 139(1), 59-63 (2009)

1. J. Homola, M. Piliarik, I. Tichý, M. Vala, P. Adam, J. Hepnar, K. Chadt: Surface Plasmon Resonance Coupler and Disperser Sensor, United States of America Patent # 8,094,316, 2012.
2. K. Toma, J. Dostalek, W. Knoll, J. Homola, M. Vala, P. Adam: Compact  Biochip  for  Plasmon-Enhanced  Fluorescence  Biosensor, submitted to European Patent Office, EP12168046.

1. Vala M., Homola J.: Multiple beam interference lithography for preparation of periodic plasmonic arrays, SPIE Optics + Optoelectronics, Prague, Czech Republic, April 13-16, 2015.
2. Vala M., Homola J.: Preparation of sparse periodic plasmonic arrays by multiple-beam interference lithography, Europtrode XII, Athens, Greece, April 13-16, 2014, Proceedings of EUROPT(R)ODE XII, SP-10.
3. Vala M., Robelek R., Bocková M., Wegener J., Homola J.: Monitoring the cellular response to osmotic stress using conventional and long-range surface plasmons. Biosensors 2012, Cancun, Mexico, May 15-18, 2012, Delegate manual P3.113.
4. Toma K., Vala M., Adam P., Homola J., Knoll W., Dostálek J., Plasmon-enhanced fluorescence for portable biosensor devices. Europt(r)ode XI, Barcelona, Spain, April 1-4, 2012, Book of Abstracts, p. 82.
5. Vala M., Špačková B., Kvasnička P., Homola J.: Plasmonic nanostructure arrays produced by multiple beam interferometry for SPR biosensing. Europt(r)ode XI, Barcelona, Spain, April 1-4, 2012, Book of Abstracts, p. 131.
6. Vala M., Šípová H., Špringer T., Chadt K., Piliarik M., Homola J., Compact multi-channel surface plasmon resonance sensor for rapid detection of bacterial pathogens. Europt(r)ode X, Prague, Czech Rep., 2010, Book of Abstracts, p. 214.
7. Homola, J., Hegnerová, K., Vala, M., Surface plasmon resonance biosensors for detection of foodborne pathogens and toxins, Frontiers in Pathogen Detection: From Nanosensors to Systems; San Jose, CA; USA, January 24-26, 2009, Proceedings of SPIE 7167, 716705.
8. Piliarik M., Hegnerová K., Vala M., Chadt K., Tichý I., and Homola J., Compact multi-channel high-sensitivity biosensor based on spectroscopy of surface plasmons, Plasmonics in Biology and Medicine VI, San Jose, CA, USA, January 26-27, 2009, Proceeding of SPIE, 7192, p.719212-20.
9. Vala M., Etheridge S., Roach J.A., Homola J., Long-range surface plasmon-based sensors for sensitive detection of large analytes, Europtrode IX, Dublin, Ireland, March 30-April 2, 2008, Book of abstracts.
10. Vala M., Dostálek J., Homola J.: Diffraction Grating-Coupled Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensor Based on Spectroscopy of Long Range and Short-Range Surface Plasmons, Optics and Optoelectronics 2007, Prague, Czech Republic, April 16-20, 2007, Proceeding of SPIE, 6585, 658522-1-9 (2007).