Lab Members

Carbohydrate and protein recognition, molecular design, and biomolecular sensing

Measuring circulating antibodies in human serum using arrayed imaging reflectometry (AIR), a label free multiplex optical biosensor.

Development and synthesis of sorbent polymers for the detection of analytes of interest in the fields of medicine, agriculture, environment, and biological and chemical warfare agent detection. Incorporating sorbent polymers into our current sensing platforms will enable the improvement in the specificity and selectivity compared to current photonic sensing platforms.

My research interests revolve around developing diagnostic technologies that are portable, rapid, cost-effective and capable of providing accurate results at the point of care, enabling timely disease detection, and improving healthcare accessibility. I am currently developing enzyme free methods for HIV detection at the point of care.

My research is focused on using integrated photonic circuits for the detection of biomedically relevant molecules. More specifically, advancing Waveguide Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy for small molecule detection and Ring Resonators for larger molecule detection.

Photonic sensor-integrated organ-on-a-chip systems for monitoring drug efficacy in disease models.

I am interested in the detection of bloodborne viruses, specifically HIV and HCV. I am using paper microfluidics to isolate viral RNA from a whole blood sample and detecting the presence of that viral RNA by capturing loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) product on photonic ring resonators. The goal is to be able to test for and detect these viruses at the point of care, reducing the time from diagnosis to treatment, improving patient outcomes.

Observing the effects of poly/perfluoroalkyl substances and other environmentally ubiquitous toxicants on the human blood-brain barrier, especially concerning chronic neuroinflammation and barrier disruption, using organ-on-a-chip systems.

I am interested in cell biology and optics. My research involves developing an optical biosensor-based continuous monitoring system for a human tendon-on-a-chip (hToC) model to study tendon fibrovascular injury. This system will be used to screen drugs that could potentially inhibit tendon fibrosis.

 I am researching methods to develop a point of care test for HIV.

Generating large scale data for analysis of photonic wafer fabrication to better understand the process variation in the fabrication of our ring resonator multiple sensors.

Integration of photonic sensors in microphysiological “tissue chip” systems to better understand the breakdown of tissues in the context of disease.