Research

We are interested in improving ultrafast vibrational spectroscopy so that super-resolution microscopes can be built. These nonlinear techniques provide detailed chemical environment information and real-time kinetics, but do not yet have the spatial resolution to give sub-micron information. Our group will employ new design approaches for improving the resolution of two-dimensional infrared (2DIR) microscopy and stimulated Raman spectroscopy (SRS).

We will use Raman microscopy to investigate the deadly issue of erlotinib resistance in non-small cell lung cancer. Drug resistance occurs in more than 50% of cases, resulting in the need for additional treatment courses. One common second-line defense for treatment is the FDA-approved small molecule drug erlotinib. Unfortunately, drug resistance to erlotinib also often develops. We will examine the impact of resistance on transport kinetics using Raman and stimulated Raman spectroscopy.

Desmin-related cardiomyopathies can occur when desmin is cleaved and aggregates, leading to weakened muscle. While these aggregates were previously believed to be pre-amyloid oligomers, recent studies have found evidence of amyloid β-sheet structures and connected their presence to toxicity. We are interested in measuring the interaction between chaperone proteins and these amyloidogenic fragments with 2DIR spectroscopy.

Microplastics are ubiquitous and persist in many human tissues, including the intestine, liver, kidney, and brain, and their overall effect on human health is largely unknown. While some proteins are unaffected structurally in the microplastic surrounding protein corona, other proteins undergo large changes to their secondary structure and function. Microplastics are therefore potentially cytotoxic particles. Here, we aim to measure protein structural changes in the protein corona and determine these changes impact on function.