Tae-Youl Choi
Position: Principal Investigator
Email: Tae-Youl.Choi@unt.edu
Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley (2002)
My research interest is in thermal and fluid science and engineering at small scales, i.e., micro and nanoscale. I have developed a microthermal sensing technology to characterize cellular thermal properties, which can be used for cancer detection and identification of cancer boundaries during surgical procedure.
Denise Perry Simmons
Position: Co-Principal Investigator
Email: denise.simmons@unthsc.edu
Ph.D. Biological Sciences UT Austin and UT MD Anderson; Postdoc Medicinal Chemistry. UT Austin College of Pharmacy, Fellow NIH-National Cancer Institute
My expertise and interests span the spectrum of transdisciplinary to affect translational outcomes. With a focus on leveraging the notion of the “cell as a material”, I seek to inform the life cycle of the cell’s transition from normal to diseased at the intersections of materials science and engineering, the physical sciences, and the biological sciences.
Ramesh Shrestha
Position: Research Associate
Email: rameshshrestha@my.unt.edu
Thermal characterization of thermal fluids, micro-nano materials, thin films, and biological cells using micro-pipette thermal sensor and laser point heating. Develop the numerical model for the experiment using COMSOL simulation and MATLAB Simulink.
Rohini Atluri
Position: Ph.D. Candidate
Email: rohiniatluri@my.unt.edu
My research is focused on thermal characterization of cancer cells, specifically, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM; brain cancer) and epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Research interests also include developing 3D spheroid models representing tumor, to identify the boundaries between normal and cancer cells based on thermal properties of the cells and combination treatment for GBM using Silver nanoparticles and low-level laser.
Sebastiao Mira
Position: Ph.D. student
Email: sebastiaomira@my.unt.edu
Detection and elimination of circulating tumor cells with magnetic Nanomaterials - Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are disseminated cancer cells through blood stream (metastasis). The conceptual process design of my research work using magnetic Nano Particle to catch CTC’s cells pulling them for a filter where they will be separated of clean blood and these CTC’s Cell will be addressed to a Heater to be eliminated while cleaned blood goes back to the body.
Kailash Chandra Shivaji Paturi
Position: Ph.D. student
Email: ChandraShivPaturi@my.unt.edu
Dipes Chakrabarty
Position: Ph.D. Candidate
Email: DipesChakrabarty@my.unt.edu
I am from India, joined as a Ph.D. student in UNT, Denton. This is my 2nd Ph.D. enrollment. I have done my 1st Ph.D. from Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, India. My Research interest in Thermo-Fluid Engineering. I am an Experimental Researcher. In my opinion, Experimental Research is the Basic research although Numerical Simulation is also necessary to validate the Experimental Datas. I am very happy to be a part of the Research Group and wish to contribute a Lot about Cancer Cell Detection by Bio-Thermal Procedure
Dennis Tei-Muno
Position: Graduate Student
Email: dennistei-muno@my.unt.edu
I am a Biomedical Engineering Masters student. I start and maintain the testbeds, currently epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) cells/cell lines on the carcinogenesis spectrum that will be characterized by their thermal properties using in-lab fabricated micropipette thermal sensors in conjunction with the thermal sensor system. I characterize the testbeds according to their morphology and proliferation rate. Also, from the testbed, I extract protein lysates for detection, quantification, and characterization through Western Blot analysis. I perform characterization of each individual testbed according to their bioenergetic profiles during proliferation. I am currently working on making testbeds in 3D cell spheroids to mimic tissue complexity and make experimental data (bioenergetics, Western Blot protein analysis, thermal characterization) more representative of tissue complexity and meaningful.
Andrew Jarrett
Position: Graduate student
Email: andrewjarrett@my.unt.edu
I am pursuing my masters in Mechanical and Energy Engineering program at UNT. My research is in fabrication of micropipette thermal sensors and the development of artificial neural networks to solve for heat parameters.
Kaitlyn Nussberger
Position: Undergraduate Student
Email: Kaitlynnussberger@my.unt.edu
I'm a junior biomedical engineering student with a focus in biology and chemistry. My research interest focuses on the culturing and maintenance of cell lines used in the lab.
Jennifer Ai
Position: Incoming High School Senior UNT Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science
I am investigating MTS fabrication and optimization for an improved sensitivity in distinguishing between stages in epithelial ovarian cancer. Alongside fabrication, I have explored the statistics for MTS fabrication and calibration stages.