Professor Dongling Ma is interested in the development of new nanoscale materials and functional structures for biomedical and energy applications, such as the long-term monitoring of biological, photovoltaic or catalysis processes. More specifically, his research focuses on six themes:

• Synthesis, characterization, surface modification and biomedical applications of highly luminescent stable nanoparticles, in particular, near-infrared emitting quantum dots
• Investigating the surface chemistry and surface-property relationships of laser-fabricated nanoparticles
• Development of new nano-complexes for the detection of cellular transport of viruses
• New solar cells based on nano-hybrids of quantum dots and one-dimensional structures with high mobility (such as carbon nanotubes or TiO2 nano-belts)
• Design and production of new catalysts based on high-efficiency and low-cost transition metal nanoparticles
• Synthesis, characterization, surface modification and biomedical applications of multifunctional nanoparticles that integrate superparamagnetic and luminescent components into a unique nano-architecture