Category: Medicine

Contemporary medicine demands tools that translate biological complexity into precise, patient-specific care. My research advances this goal by developing technologies that integrate optical imaging, spectroscopy, nanotechnology, and data science to improve diagnostics, therapeutic monitoring, and clinical decision-making. In cancer, I have contributed to platforms for real-time surgical guidance, optical spectroscopy platforms for monitoring therapeutic efficacy, and nanosensors for real-time in vivo molecular profiling. In transfusion medicine, I have supported analyses of antibody responses, adverse events, and blood utilization patterns. Together, these efforts reflect a vision of functional precision medicine—where biologically responsive diagnostics and data-driven insights enable more effective and equitable care. As a physician-scientist, I aim to create translational tools that uncover new biological understanding, inform clinical strategies, and ultimately improve outcomes for diverse patient populations.

Cancer

Cancer

Cancer research increasingly relies on optical and molecular technologies to enable earlier detection, more precise surgical intervention, and real-time monitoring of therapeutic response. Techniques such as fluorescence spectroscopy, Raman scattering, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) provide noninvasive access to structural, biochemical, and functional information at cellular and molecular scales. Within this space, research efforts have focused on integrating these modalities into translational platforms for oncology. Contributions include the development of spectroscopic systems for detecting epithelial precancers, intraoperative OCT technologies for margin and lymph node assessment, and multimodal contrast agents for molecular imaging. More recently, implantable carbon nanotube–based nanosensors have been used to monitor chemotherapeutic delivery and tumor microenvironment dynamics in vivo. These multidisciplinary innovations span breast, brain, pancreatic, cervical, oral, and gastrointestinal cancers, with broad applicability across both solid and hematologic malignancies.

Transfusion Medicine

Transfusion Medicine

Transfusion medicine is a clinical and laboratory discipline focused on the safe administration of blood and its components, encompassing immunohematology, product selection, transfusion reactions, and data-driven stewardship. Its role expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic with the emergence of convalescent plasma (CCP) as a potential therapy. Investigations characterized neutralizing antibody responses in donor plasma and evaluated CCP efficacy through propensity-matched trials in severe COVID-19. Additional research quantified adverse event rates following CCP transfusion, informing risk-benefit frameworks and institutional practice. Studies also examined pediatric O-negative red cell utilization across hospitals, revealing variation and opportunities for improved allocation. These contributions—conducted in collaboration with Mount Sinai and the New York State Department of Health—highlight the integration of immunologic profiling, transfusion safety surveillance, and clinical informatics to optimize transfusion practices and support pandemic response.

O blood usage trends in the pediatric population 2015–2019 A multi-institutional analysis

O blood usage trends in the pediatric population 2015–2019 A multi-institutional analysis

Background
In 2019, AABB released the bulletin “Recommendations on the Use of Group O Red Blood Cells” in which the recommendations about pediatric and neonatal blood transfusions were limited. Eight U.S. pediatric hospitals sought to determine trends in pediatric group O blood use and clarify which pediatric populations receive group O blood transfusions despite a non-group O blood type.

Study Design and Methods
Eight U.S.-based institutions serving a pediatric population provided data from their respective Electronic Health Records. Data submitted included unit blood type, patient blood type, patient age, sex, and discharge diagnosis. If the discharge diagnosis was not available, the admitting diagnosis was substituted. GPT-4 was used to sort diagnoses into categories for analysis. Data were visualized using a series of alluvial plots, spaghetti plots, and tables. Tables were stratified on variables of interest (blood type, age, sex, diagnosis) to explore O blood type distribution among different patient populations.

Results
A total of 142,227 discrete transfusion events were identified, of which 52,731 recipients were non-O blood type. Overall, 35,575 transfusion events of O blood went to A, B, or AB blood type recipients (67%). Additionally, 26% of Rh(D) negative transfusion events went to recipients who were Rh(D) positive. Top diagnostic categories for receiving O blood type were cardiovascular disorders (22%) and sickle cell anemia (15%).

Discussion
This study highlights opportunities to address O blood supply challenges by identifying where non-O blood may be utilized safely in the vulnerable pediatric population.

Nine Diagnostics Joins American Cancer Society’s BrightEdge Entrepreneurs Program

Nine Diagnostics Joins American Cancer Society’s BrightEdge Entrepreneurs Program

Nine Diagnostics, a leader in AI-enabled nanosensor technology, has been selected to participate in the American Cancer Society’s BrightEdge Entrepreneurs Program, a highly selective initiative designed to accelerate the most promising oncology-focused startups. This selection marks another significant milestone for Nine Diagnostics as it continues to drive innovation in cancer treatment selection, dosing, optimization, and monitoring.

Molecular Recognition and In Vivo Detection of Temozolomide and 5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide for Glioblastoma Using Near-Infrared Fluorescent Carbon Nanotube Sensors

Molecular Recognition and In Vivo Detection of Temozolomide and 5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide for Glioblastoma Using Near-Infrared Fluorescent Carbon Nanotube Sensors

There is a pressing need for sensors and assays to monitor chemotherapeutic activity within the human body in real time to optimize drug dosimetry parameters such as timing, quantity, and frequency in an effort to maximize efficacy while minimizing deleterious cytotoxicity. Herein, we develop near-infrared fluorescent nanosensors based on single walled carbon nanotubes for the chemotherapeutic Temozolomide (TMZ) and its metabolite 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide using Corona Phase Molecular Recognition as a synthetic molecular recognition technique. The resulting nanoparticle sensors are able to monitor drug activity in real-time even under in vivo conditions. Sensors can be engineered to be biocompatible by encapsulation in poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate hydrogels. Selective detection of TMZ was demonstrated using U-87 MG human glioblastoma cells and SKH-1E mice with detection limits below 30 μM. As sensor implants, we show that such systems can provide spatiotemporal therapeutic information in vivo, as a valuable tool for pharmacokinetic evaluation. Sensor implants are also evaluated using intact porcine brain tissue implanted 2.1 cm below the cranium and monitored using a recently developed Wavelength-Induced Frequency Filtering technique. Additionally, we show that by taking the measurement of spatial and temporal analyte concentrations within each hydrogel implant, the direction of therapeutic flux can be resolved. In all, these types of sensors enable the real time detection of chemotherapeutic concentration, flux, directional transport, and metabolic activity, providing crucial information regarding therapeutic effectiveness.

Emerging technologies in cancer detection

Emerging technologies in cancer detection

Exciting, modern technologies for cancer detection are under development in academic and industrial laboratories worldwide. This chapter provides a synopsis of technologies reaching greater importance as they advance toward clinical practice. These methods include significant advances in current methods as well as fundamentally new platforms. We place a special emphasis on point-of-care technologies for use in clinical settings as well as novel methods for use as at-home measurements and wearable devices. We also provide a synopsis on the involvement of artificial intelligence-based data analytics such as machine learning algorithms in both existing and developing assessments.

Nature Nanotechnology: A wavelength-induced frequency filtering method for fluorescent nanosensors in vivo

Nature Nanotechnology: A wavelength-induced frequency filtering method for fluorescent nanosensors in vivo

Fluorescent nanosensors hold the potential to revolutionize life sciences and medicine. However, their adaptation and translation into the in vivo environment is fundamentally hampered by unfavourable tissue scattering and intrinsic autofluorescence. Here we develop wavelength-induced frequency filtering (WIFF) whereby the fluorescence excitation wavelength is modulated across the absorption peak of a nanosensor, allowing the emission signal to be separated from the autofluorescence background, increasing the desired signal relative to noise, and internally referencing it to protect against artefacts. Using highly scattering phantom tissues, an SKH1-E mouse model and other complex tissue types, we show that WIFF improves the nanosensor signal-to-noise ratio across the visible and near-infrared spectra up to 52-fold. This improvement enables the ability to track fluorescent carbon nanotube sensor responses to riboflavin, ascorbic acid, hydrogen peroxide and a chemotherapeutic drug metabolite for depths up to 5.5 ± 0.1 cm when excited at 730 nm and emitting between 1,100 and 1,300 nm, even allowing the monitoring of riboflavin diffusion in thick tissue. As an application, nanosensors aided by WIFF detect the chemotherapeutic activity of temozolomide transcranially at 2.4 ± 0.1 cm through the porcine brain without the use of fibre optic or cranial window insertion. The ability of nanosensors to monitor previously inaccessible in vivo environments will be important for life-sciences research, therapeutics and medical diagnostics.