Our research is focused at the intersection of nanotechnology, biology, electromagnetics, and optics to develop technology that impacts health care, the life sciences, agriculture, and the environment.  In this site, you will find a variety of research projects that share some common themes.  Much of our research is grounded in fundamental principles of electromagnetics, which we use to design devices that interact with light in interesting ways.  Many exciting new technologies are enabled by the ability to fabricate structures with features smaller than optical wavelengths – sometimes with dimensions measured in tens of nanometers – and the ability to incorporate new functions through the use of materials with unique properties.  Because “real world” applications demand that these structures be manufactured inexpensively, we develop plastic-based fabrication methods that can accurately produce nanometer-scale features over large surface areas - ultimately from continuous rolls of flexible film.  New devices and detection methods also require advances in detection instrumentation that can be miniature, rugged, inexpensive, and sensitive – so new technology can transition from the laboratory to the field.

While we work to understand and exploit fundamental principles in sub-wavelength optics, our research is geared toward applications that are important to our society.  For example, our label-free biosensor research is being used to help find new treatments for Parkinson’s Disease and cancer.  Likewise, using photonic crystal surfaces, we can substantially increase the sensitivity of many types of fluorescence detection – enabling advances in gene expression analysis for humans and crops, and the ability to detect disease biomarkers at low concentrations.  We are developing methods for rapidly detecting viral contamination in water, and for identifying spores that threaten agriculture.

Students in the group come from several academic disciplines including Electrical and Computer Engineering, Material Science and Engineering and Bioengineering, while we collaborate closely with colleagues in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Pathobiology, Veterinary Medicine, Crop Sciences, the Institute for Genomic Biology, and the Beckman Institute.

Please follow the links to learn more about our research projects, group members, funding sources, and related courses at Illinois.

	Label-Free Biosensors		Microfluidics
	Photonic Crystal Fluorescence Enhancement		Photonic Crystal Optical Modulators
	High Throughput Drug Screening		Advanced Instrumentation
	Environmental Monitoring		Microplasma Discharge Devices
	Cartilage Tissue Engineering		MEMS Sensors