We perform fundamental research and develop technologies for improving human health. Ongoing research includes studies of nanoparticle-biological interactions, cellular mechanics, engineering of proteases and CRISPR-Cas systems, development of new types of sensors, and new materials for biomedical applications.
Faculty
OUR RESEARCH IS IN THE AREA OF MOLECULAR/CELLULAR bioengineering. We apply engineering principles to study the behavior of living cells or other small-scale biological systems. Using a combination of engineering modeling/analysis, quantitative experimentation, together with the tools of molecular cell biology, we seek to better understand the relationship between cell function and the physical and molecular properties of cells and their environment.…
ELECTROCHEMICAL ENGINEERING The research performed in this group represents applications of electrochemical engineering to systems of practical importance. In recent work, electrokinetic phenomena were exploited to enhance continuous separation of water from dilute suspensions of clay associated with phosphate mining operations. The technology developed in this project is intended to greatly reduce the environmental impact of mining operations.…
WE STUDY POLYMERS, PROTEINS, AND THEIR HYBRIDS TO DESIGN THE NEXT GENERATION OF SOFT MATERIALS using molecular dynamics simulations, high throughout computations, and enhanced sampling methods. To sustain materials discovery in the future given the limited resources at our disposal, predictive engineering techniques must be employed to allow for efficient design and optimization of materials.…
Current research, in collaboration with Professor Pratap Pullammanappallil of the UF Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department, focuses on the modeling and optimization of bioprocesses for the production of biofuels and other useful products of bioprocesses. Of particular interest is a remarkable cyanobacterium, isolated by Professor Edward J. Phlips of the UF School of Forest Resources and Conservation, that with CO2-enriched air produces high concentration of cells and of an extracellular polysaccharide without needing fresh water or external addition of nitrogenous nutrients. …