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Teksti ja kuvat Jacky Loo
From ”The City that never Sleeps” Hong Kong, to the ”World’s Happiest Country Finland”, Jacky Loo’s path has been reshaped by a new culture and a maturing deep-tech mindset. He found the inspiration that now drives his scientific discoveries and innovations in Finland. The breakthrough in chiral plasmonic DNA nanoassemblies (nanoswitch) connected his lab work to real-world impact.
My journey in science began when I was surprised by the way chemistry connects with biology, where I learned to use chemical language to explain biological processes during my study in biochemistry.
I first focused on multidrug-resistance mechanisms in cancer, hoping to find a ”magic” chemical.
However, I realised that early diagnostics is the real key: detecting disease before progression makes treatment too late. I therefore shifted to inventing analytical biochemical technologies. During this time, I led academic-industrial projects commercialising innovative plasmonic and fluidic-automation biosensors for rapid diagnostics and public health surveillance.
Yet, I foresaw that deeper, more fundamental science would be needed for the next trend in healthcare, so I decided to move to Finland.
True Innovation in Science was born in a peaceful place
During my induction at Aalto University over five years ago, I asked my supervisor, Prof. Anton Kuzyk, professor in the Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, about what documents, computer and other stuff I needed to prepare before I started my work, and his reply still rings in my ears: ”Just bring your brain, we’ll take care of the rest!”.
I thought it was just a slogan urging researcher to work hard and do great science. Soon I realised the Finnish working ecosystem is so thoughtful, where our department helped me settle all the workplace-relevant tasks, like insurance, workplace accessories and collaborators’ connection peacefully, so I can promptly start my professional career.
Nordic Values Driving Sustainable Innovation
Drawn by Finland’s deep-tech reputation, I found not only state-of-the-art laboratories and national infrastructures but also the chance to work with world-leading experts to turn cutting-edge research into impactful solutions.
However, I experienced another cultural shock shortly after. I could see professors leaving the workplace earlier, whereas I used to see the professors and teammates after dinner at night during my research time in Hong Kong. Meanwhile, Finns say, ”Happiness grows best in the forest”.
I followed the advice to enjoy the Finnish nature after work, and surprisingly, I gained inspiration from nature, where my innovation has, in turn, connected me with nature in two ways.
”I dove into the two frontier fields: DNA Nanotechnology and Active plasmonics.”
As a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Research Fellow at Aalto University, I dove into the two frontier fields:
- DNA Nanotechnology: when I first learned the term DNA origami, the art of folding long strands of DNA into custom nanoscale shapes, I became fascinated by how DNA could be repurposed from the code of life to be a building nanomaterial to solve real-world problems;
- Active plasmonics: the study and control of how metal nanomaterials (usually gold) interact with light to create colours, a phenomenon that can be seen even in daily life, for example, in church windows.
My goal is to merge these disciplines to create the next generation of nano-sized devices in solution and on the surface beyond state-of-the-art approaches.
There was a time I worked overtime in the lab in the late evening, trying to troubleshoot and redesign the experiment to investigate it further, until one night, I figured it out when I gazed at the Northern Lights!
Invention of the Chiral Nanoswitch
The breakthrough in chiral plasmonic DNA nanoassemblies (nanoswitch) connected my lab work to real-world impact. It is a nano-scaled device made of DNA origami and gold nanoparticles that changes its optical behaviour during switching.
I designed a DNA origami scaffold to hold gold nanoparticles in a specific arrangement that normally remains steady. But when the whole structure switches into another configuration, it instantly alters nanoparticle-coupling and produces a strong visible colour change, looking like the Northern Light colour changing.
In addition, when I deposited the nanoswitch on a surface in a particular order, I could observe the plasmonic light blinking behaviour under a microscope, like blinking stars on the sky.
This new approach attracted both university IP support and external funders’ interest in translating innovation into real-world applications.
”Finland’s climate of freedom, trust, and courage has boosted me to the next level.”
Teams Leading to Shape Innovation to Next Level
Finland’s climate of freedom, trust, and courage has boosted me to the next level. With that support, together with the funding from the Novo Nordisk Foundation, I could assemble a harmonious interdisciplinary team to advance the nanoswitch technology.
Coordinating efforts across chemistry, nanoscience, engineering, and even business in the Nordics is a new experience for me. I supervised master’s students, postdoctoral researcher, and a business developer as we advanced the project. Thanks to prior biosensing experience, my team and I programmed the nanoswitch to detect a biomolecular target (e.g., a disease biomarker) specifically to trigger the switching action.
Bridging between Science and Entrepreneurship: Embracing Finland’s Sisu
Entrepreneurship is natural in Finland’s vibrant innovation ecosystem, and that’s how Nordic innovation has been famous beyond research publications. Although the leap from Lab to Startup is a brave move, Finland’s resilient spirit, some call it Sisu, has been setting a good example by building many successful tech startups.
Leading these projects also encouraged me to communicate our discovery and vision not just to scientists and industry partners, but also to non-specialists, like business advisors, investors and the public. I still remember pitching my innovation at the Y Science event during Slush, one of the biggest startup conferences in Finland.
Distilling years of research into a 3-minute pitch in front of 400+ audience across the world was nerve-wracking. Actually, Finns have a sense of humour. I heard Finns laughing when I was describing the DNA nanotechnology, because some thought my technologies were related to DNA Oyj, a well-known telecom company.
Looking Ahead: Supportive Culture for Better Impact
”Happiness isn’t just a word or index, it’s a way of life in Finland”, people support each other to share happiness. In fact, I received so much support in the past to be able to stand out today. The research supervisor and collaborators have been supporting me to do great science, the Nordic ecosystem helped me grow as a project leader, and startup communities supported my vision and path to demonstrate how big an impact our innovation can bring to the world, apart from generating lots of revenue in a science-based spinoff.
Although there are still many problems in the world for scientists to solve, standing at this crossroads of deep-tech and entrepreneurship, I feel optimistic about the path I can chart for Finland and beyond. In many ways, my journey is only beginning.
Introduction of the writer Jacky Loo, Ph.D. in Biochemistry, is a postdoctoral researcher at Aalto University specialising in interdisciplinary research in DNA nanotechnology, plasmonics, and biochemistry, and in translating these technologies to industry for a better society.
Jacky Loo’s Google Scholar
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