Faculty Participants
Summer 2008 Undergraduate Research Program in Cellular and Molecular Imaging for Diagnostics and Therapeutics
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Dr. Eric Anslyn:
The Anslyn group creates molecular receptors for
various sensing applications. We work on imaging agents for cellular analysis,
single analyte colorimetric test strip analyses for synthetic chemistry
applications, and combinatorial-derived receptors for differential sensing using
pattern recognition protocols in array platforms.
Dr. Jennifer Brodbelt: The Brodbelt group focuses on the development and application of mass spectrometry for problems involving biopolymers. One of our most exciting new areas of research involves the characterization of drug-transferrin conjugates, species that are incorporated into hydrogels and used to deliver and release drugs into humans. We are developing strategies for characterizing the drug-transferrin conjugates and quantifying the release of drugs.
Dr. Andy Ellington: The Ellington lab works on the development of nucleic acid biosensors, including sensor arrays, ‘smart’ sensors that transduce ligand recognition into signals and amplicons, and contrast reagents. Current projects revolve around a number of efforts in nucleic acid selection, including the selection of RNA molecules that can inhibit the replication of HIV-1 and the selection of RNA molecules that can be used as medical diagnostics.
Dr. Jason Shear: One active area of the Shear group is the investigation of the use of nonlinear (multiphoton) excitation as a means for microfabricating materials that have defined three-dimensional morphologies. We have found this approach can be used to create solid-phase biomaterials in the presence of living cells, and to both chemically and physically interact with developing neurons.
Dr. David Vanden Bout: The Vanden Bout group focuses on the development and application of high resolution optical microscopy techniques to study heterogenous materials. One of latest areas of research is an investigation into a fluorescence assay for the detection of amyloid fibrils. We are currently working on near-field scanning optical microscopy imaging of individual insulin fibrils to determine the orientation of the dye along the backbone of the fibril.
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Dr.
Adela Ben-Yakar:
The current interests of Ben-Yakar’s group are in the use of femtosecond (fs)
lasers for the early diagnosis of cancer and its removal. One area of research
involves the use of metallic nanoparticles to surpass the diffraction limit of
fs laser microsurgery for epithelial cancer removal via our novel near-field
ablation technique.
Dr. Lisa Brannon-Peppas: The current focus of Dr. Brannon-Peppas’s research is in understanding and developing targeted drug delivery systems to treat cancer while avoiding side effects from the drugs used. These targeted delivery systems may be used not only to treat a variety of cancers but also to image these cancers more accurately.
Dr. Mia K. Markey: Dr. Markey oversees the Biomedical Informatics Lab (BMIL) whose mission is to design cost-effective, computational medical decision aids that will help physicians better diagnose, treat, and manage cancer. We apply machine learning and statistical techniques to detection, classification, and prediction problems in biology and medicine.
Dr. Nicholas A. Peppas: The Peppas group focuses on the use of molecular recognition principles to detect and capture undesirable biological compounds from the blood. Biomimetic methods are now used to build biohybrid systems or even biomimetic materials for drug delivery, drug targeting, and tissue engineering devices. Efforts for the imprinting of large molecules and proteins have focused upon two-dimensional surface imprinting.
Dr. Krishnendu Roy: We are involved in the development of novel, polymer-based delivery vehicles for nucleic acids, specifically targeted towards immunotherapy. Our approach involves combinatorial delivery where a single vehicle carries multiple immunotherapeutic agents (DNA, RNA and or protein and peptides) into a target cell. Second, we study how various biomaterials influence stem cell proliferation and differentiation.
Dr. Christine Schmidt: The Schmidt group focuses on designing biomaterials-based nerve guides that can be used to stimulate the regeneration of damaged nerve tissue and interfacing electronic materials with neurons in an effort to design improved bioprosthetic devices that can replace lost function as a result of nerve injury. In particular, we are developing methods to use nanocrystal quantum dots attached via cellular receptors to "communicate" with neurons.
Dr. Laura Suggs: The Suggs lab is primarily interested in the development of biologically active materials and their use and behavior in cardiovascular tissue engineering. Our end goal is to be able to grow vascular beds de novo for applications such as prevascularization of tissue engineered constructs or revascularizing ischemic myocardium.
Dr. Muhammad Zaman: The Zaman lab is focused on understanding the initiation and progression of cancer. The lab uses a variety of computational and experimental methods to study the interactions between tumor cells and their host environment, in an effort to develop the next generation of anti-cancer strategies.