Fluorescence spectroscopy has played a foundational role in my research, serving as a versatile platform for molecular sensing, biomedical imaging, and real-time physiological monitoring. Across multiple phases of my work, I have developed tools that span signal engineering, clinical diagnostics, and implantable biosensing systems.
Early Innovations in Fluorescence Detection for Genomics: In early work focused on improving the reliability of DNA sequencing, I helped develop a color-blind fluorescence detection method using pulsed multiline excitation (PNAS, 2005). This approach eliminated the need for emission-based spectral separation, enabled more accurate four-color sequencing, and supported scalable multiplexed fluorescence assays. The ability to discriminate spectral signals more cleanly and efficiently improved base-calling fidelity and inspired later work on optical sensing in spectrally complex environments.
Translating Fluorescence into Clinical Diagnostics: As part of a team integrating spectroscopy with clinical practice, I contributed to the development of a multimodal spectroscopic system for diagnosing epithelial dysplasia (TCRT, 2003). This platform combined fluorescence and reflectance to noninvasively assess tissue structure and composition, enabling early detection of epithelial precancers and demonstrating the feasibility of real-time, point-of-care optical diagnostics. This system represented a step forward in bridging advanced optical technologies with accessible clinical workflows.
Multimodal Contrast Agents and Imaging with OCT: For over a decade, I led the design and implementation of targeted protein microsphere contrast agents for cancer imaging using magnetomotive optical coherence tomography (MM-OCT) (Cancer Research, 2010–2012). These agents, engineered with fluorescent, magnetic, and acoustic properties, enabled high-resolution, multimodal visualization of tumors and their microenvironments. I also contributed to the application of magnetomotive optical coherence microscopy for tissue biomechanics (SPIE, 2011), and later led the development of nanoparticle-seeded microspheres optimized for enhanced contrast, tunability, and therapeutic potential (IEEE JSTQE, 2019).
Carbon Nanotubes and In Vivo Sensing Platforms: In recent work, I have developed carbon nanotube–based fluorescent nanosensors for in vivo detection of oxidative stress and metabolic activity. These platforms supported longitudinal monitoring in complex tissue environments. As part of a collaborative team, I contributed to wavelength-induced frequency filtering (WIFF) to reduce tissue autofluorescence and improve signal quality (Nature Nanotech, 2022). I applied these systems to implantable nanosensors for marine biologging (ACS Sensors, 2019) and led the development of a patented fiber-optic-based fluorescence instrument (2024) for scalable biochemical monitoring.
Fluorescence remains a powerful interface across biology, engineering, and clinical translation—driving new ways to detect, image, and understand living systems.
