The Johns Hopkins University
Whiting School of Engineering
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Bacterial and Astrocyte Molecular Communication Nanonetworks and
Future Perspectives on the Internet of Nano Things
Dr. Sasitharan Balasubramaniam
Nano Communication Centre
Department of Electronic and Communication Engineering
Tampere University of Technology, Tampere, Finland
Abstract: The field of nanotechnology, evolved over the last few decades, has resulted in the ability of
engineering novel tools, materials, and components at the molecular and atomic scale, and it is expected to lead to
the development of nanoscale machines, or nanomachines. These bio-inspired nanomachines are created through
synthetic biology that allows the ability to program, control, reuse, modify, and reengineer biological cells (e.g.,
bacteria). However, a shortcoming of these nanomachines is the limited processing capabilities that allow them to
only perform limited tasks. Enabling communication between nanomachines could further strengthen their
capabilities and provide opportunities for new applications. The emerging field of molecular communication aims
to enable nanomachines to communicate from an infrastructure that is constructed using biological components and
systems that are found in nature. The possibility of constructing bio-compatible communication systems using
natural biological cells are at the basis of a plethora of application including, intra-body sensing and actuation as
well as targeted drug delivery. The focus of this seminar is on two molecular communication systems, which
include bacterial nanonetwork and astrocyte nanonetwork. In the bacterial nanonetwork, we start by defining the
physical communication model that can be achieved using flagellated bacteria to carry and transfer DNA encoded
information between the nanomachines. This is followed by an analysis on the impact their natural motility
behavior as well as interactions (e.g., conjugations) can have on the end-to-end delivery performance of the
network. Besides the motility properties of the bacteria, the seminar will also discuss the impact on network
performance that result from their social behavior, and in particular through cooperation. In the second part of the
seminar on astrocyte nanonetworks, we discuss the capacity and delay analysis of these excitable cells in a tissue.
The applications for each type of molecular communication systems are also briefly discussed. Lastly, the seminar
presents future perspectives of applying molecular communication for the Internet of Nano Things.
Biography: Sasitharan Balasubramaniam (Sasi) received his Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical and
Electronic) and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Queensland, Australia, in 1998 and 2005, respectively, and
Master of Engineering Science (Computer and Communication Engineering) degree in 1999 from the Queensland
University of Technology, Australia. After completion of his Ph.D., Sasi joined the Telecommunication Software &
Systems Group, Waterford Institute of Technology, Ireland where his research focused on bio-inspired
communication networks, including routing and resource management, green communication networks, as well as
molecular communication, which he started in 2007. In 2009, he received from the Science Foundation Ireland the
Starter Investigator Research Grant, which allowed him to create the Bio-Inspired Research Unit. In 2013, Sasi
joined the Nano Communication Centre, Department of Electronic and Communication Engineering, Tampere
University of Technology, Finland, where he leads the molecular communication research track. More information
about Sasi can be found at http://www.cs.tut.fi/~balasubs/.
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
12 Noon
Barton 117
Refreshments will be served at 11:45 am
Invited by the ECE Search Committee
For Disability Information please contact Janel Johnson, 410-516-7031, janel.johnson@jhu.edu