Research
The research in our group primarily uses and develops label-free methods to analyze cell behavior. As cells differentiate, or respond to stress signals, they rearrange spatially and also express molecules in their response. Using Raman scattering, we are able to detect these differences and thereby quantify the cell response to stimulus. The spatial rearrangement of cells can be measured using quantitative phase microscopy, and we combine these techniques to acquire as much information as possible on the cellular state, without using traditional fluorescence staining or invasive wet-lab protocols. We are also interested in spectroscopy as a means to study small molecule structure and molecular interactions, plasmonic enhancement of Raman scattering to boost spectral signals, and applications of these techniques. Please see some selected projects below, or browse research topics from the menu bar above.
Research topics
Immune cell activation
Label-free imaging can detect reversible immune activation at single-cell level.
Compressed sensing
Compressed sensing can be used with laser-scanning microscopes to reduce photo-bleaching and increase acquisition speed.
Multimodal imaging
Multimodal label-free imaging provides both molecular mapping and video-rate imaging.
Raman database
Raman spectroscopy can be employed to generate reference spectra to identify specific chemical compounds.