Label-free Imaging of Cells and Tissues
Mentors Project Description Photothermal microscopes have proven excellent options for chemical imaging in the mid-infrared spectral region providing high sensitivity, specificity and spatial resolution comparable to fluorescence and optical microscopy. By targeting vibrational bonds, molecular composition can be analyzed in a label-free manner, without requiring fluorescent stains or tags. In addition, with a time-resolved photothermal […]
Polarized-light microscopic imaging of different tissues
Mentors Project Description Birefringence is a property of anisotropic materials wherein different polarizations of light propagate at different velocities. This summer project will provide students with hands-on experience using a polarized-light microscope (birefringence microscope) to explore the optical anisotropy of diverse biological specimens, with the broader goal of expanding our understanding of potential applications for […]
Fabricating customizable anisotropic phantoms for the assessment of clinical optical technologies
Mentors Project Description Phantoms are used as analogues for tissue when testing and calibrating biomedical optical technologies. Most modern phantoms fail to replicate optical anisotropy found in tissues. As differences in anisotropic properties can be diagnostically relevant, producing phantoms with tunable anisotropy is a valuable unmet need. This project will involve iterative prototyping, testing, validation, […]
Soft Robotic Gripper for Safe Manipulation
Mentors Project Description Our lab is developing large soft robotic arms for everyday manipulation tasks, incorporating safety-verified automation into their motions. We have prototypes of a large arm, but there is no gripper (robotic hand) at the end. This project will develop a three-fingered pneumatic soft gripper, made from the same manufacturing style as the […]
Developing biocompatible gold nanoparticles for non-invasive retinal stimulation
Mentors Project Description Retinal degenerative diseases are a leading cause of irreversible vision loss worldwide. Current retinal prostheses are predominantly solid-state implanted devices designed to evoke visual sensations in affected individuals. However, the resolution of existing systems remains severely limited. In addition, solid-state implants are constrained in size by the need for invasive surgical incisions, […]
In a Heartbeat
Mentors Project Description Engineered heart tissue holds promise as a key enabler to repair damaged human hearts. In his doctoral dissertation work our colleague Ruifeng Hu has discovered that we can improve the performance of these tissues by subjecting them to combined and synchronized electrical and mechanical stimulation that mimics the in vivo environment. That […]
Light in the Bucket (RET)
Mentors Project Description In modern communication systems, fast data transmission sometimes is achieved through free space optically. So-called point-to-point laser communication systems use directed laser beams to encode and receive information. The free-space atmosphere the transmission has turbulent variations of refractive index, aberrating the beam and reducing data rates. Adaptive optics uses a wavefront measurement […]
Advancing the Delivery of Gene Editing Systems
Mentors Project Description By joining our lab, an RET educator would learn more about novel biomedical engineering research and the scientific community, with our lab specifically focusing on advancing the delivery of gene editing systems. To elaborate, one branch of the lab utilizes computational tools, such as machine learning and biostatistics, to design proteins for […]
Controlling Energy Flow in Biological Chromophores with Light–Matter Hybrid States
Mentors Project Description Light drives life. From photosynthesis in plants to vision in animals, biological systems rely on exquisitely tuned photophysical processes to convert and transport energy. This REU project will introduce undergraduate students to the emerging field of polariton biophotonics, where confined light inside an optical cavity strongly interacts with molecules to create new […]
Hydrogel Instabilities (RET)
Mentors Project Description Understanding the factors that either stimulate or hinder growth and expansion is relevant to many fields, including medicine, morphogenesis, and agriculture. We are particularly interested in studying how expanding or growing bodies respond to the presence of obstacles. Recently, we have focused on how hydrogels can be used as a model system […]