M.Sc. Engineering Biology
Ph.D. Bioengineering
The processes responsible for initiation and progression of many severe diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and various types of cancer, often depend on intricate interactions with the extracellular matrix (ECM). Enhanced formation of amyloid plaques - a hallmark of AD - is observed in the aging brain and upon traumatic brain injury, for which microvascular damage and inflammation lead to increased deposition of collagen type I. Characterizing the interactions between the the toxic oligomeric stages of amyloids and collagen type I, as well as other brain ECM components, may provide new insights to the dynamics of AD progression and inspire treatments of the disease. We are developing strategies based on nonlinear optics for label-free and noninvasive structural imaging of collagen fibers (by second-harmonic generation) and chemical imaging of lipids and other biomolecules with unique vibrations (by coherent Raman scattering). Application of these techniques to tissues and disease models will not only enhance our understanding of AD, but also provide tools for detailed investigations of the role of the ECM when tumors grow and spread in, for example, ovarian cancer.
