Dr. Palani Balaya Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering National University of Singapore
After graduating (1987-1993) from the University of Hyderabad, Dr Palani joined the Indian Institute of Science as a Research Associate (1994-1996) and worked on the thermal properties of insulating materials at low temperature. He later joined the Inter University Consortium (Bhabha Atomic Research Centre), Mumbai, as a Scientist (1996-2001) and worked with neutron diffractometer to investigate the structure of amorphous materials. He then moved to the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research as a Guest Scientist (2001-2006) and worked with Prof Joachim Maier and contributed in the areas of anomalous transport phenomenon at nano-size, energetics of nano-crystals and interfacial lithium storage. Dr Palani joined NUS as an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Engineering in Jan 2007. His current research area is on nano-ionics for power sources specifically in the area of photovoltaics for solar energy conversion as well as lithium batteries for energy storage.

2. Line-Scan Focal Modulation Microscope

In-vivo* imaging of thick biological issues such as human eyes and skin provides information that is critical for the diagnosis of diseases related to these organs. This project aims to develop an advanced optical imaging method called line-scan focal modulation microscope. Compared to instruments that are currently commercially available, the end product could be more powerful and accurate in terms of imaging speed, spatial resolution, imaging depth and contrast mechanism.
For example, the end product would feature millisecond time resolution, making it capable of capturing intrinsic optical signals in retina photoreceptors in the eyes and other neuronal tissues. In all, the end product would be an important new tool for researches developing advanced drugs and physicians dealing with various diseases.
*In-vivo imaging: imaging within a living organism

Dr. Chen Nanguang Assistant Professor, Division of Bioengineering National University of Singapore

Dr Chen Nanguang received his Ph. D. in Biomedical Engineering, M. S. in Physics, and B. S. in Electrical Engineering from Tsinghua University in Jan 2000, Peking University in 1994, and Hunan University in 1988, respectively. He joined the Optical and Ultrasound Imaging Lab at the University of Connecticut in Feb 2000 as a postdoctoral fellow and became an Assistant Research Professor in Jan 2002. Dr Chen’s primary research interests include Diffuse Optical Tomography, Optical Coherence Tomography, Focal Modulation Microscopy, and their applications in clinical diagnosis and basic biological research. He has developed many innovative approaches for efficient Monte Carlo simulation of light transport in tissue, fast scanning optical delay line, and time-resolved measurement with spread spectrum excitation and correlation detection. He has been involved as a Principal Investigator (or Co-Investigator) in research projects funded by NIH, DoD, and A*STAR. He was granted the Young Investigator Award (Merit Award) by the Office of Life Science of NUS in 2005 for optical mammography in breast cancer detection. Dr Chen has published more than 45 journal papers and more than 50 conference papers in the field of Biomedical Optics.

3. Nanoparticle Factories in Flowing Foams: Scalable Continuous Sub-Micron Size Material Synthesis in Multi-Phase Microreactors

Nanomaterials hold the key to treating diseases such as cancer. However, the lack of large-scale, economically-viable manufacturing processes hinders the translation of new nanotechnologies to the market. This reduces the accessibility and affordability of treatments via nanoparticles to people.
To overcome these challenges, this project aims to develop manufacturing platforms that are automated, scalable and continuous based on flowing foams in small channels. Our ultimate goal is to produce nanoparticles for the healthcare industry to combat diseases such as cancer and make treatment affordable to as many people as possible.

Dr. Saif A. Khan Assistant Professor, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering National University of Singapore
Saif A. Khan is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the National University of Singapore and Fellow of the Singapore-MIT Alliance in Chemical and Pharmaceutical Engineering. He received his Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2006, where he was an R.T. Haslam Presidential Fellow. His current research interests include microfluidics, soft condensed matter physics, colloid science, plasmonic nanomaterials and chemical reaction engineering. His research group at NUS focuses on various aspects of microscale fluid physics and phenomena, with the aim of developing new experimental methods and processes for chemistry and biology that complement or extend existing macroscopic methods. He is also an avid graphic artist and cartoonist, and enjoys using live art to enhance the learning experience in the undergraduate engineering classroom.

4. Conjugated Polymer-Biomolecule Conjugate as Next Generation Fluorescent Probes for In Vitro Diagnostics

In vitro diagnostics protect the blood supply, monitor the level of drugs given and provide information to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. However, the current organic dye-based systems used for in vitro diagnostics require complex instruments to support (and are costly) and quantum dot based fluorescent probes are high in toxicity, rendering them unsuitable for in vivo applications.

This project aims to produce water-soluble conjugated polymers to replace dye and quantum dots systems. These polymers will have these scientific properties: tuneable excitation and emission wavelength, high brightness, high resistance to photo bleaching and low toxicity to cells.

Dr. Liu Bin Associate Professor, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering National University of Singapore
Dr. Liu Bin is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore (NUS). She obtained her BSc and MSc degrees from Nanjing University and PhD degree from NUS before her postdoctoral training at University of California. Her research interests include the design, and synthesis of functional materials for biological and clean energy applications. Her current research is focused on conjugated polymer based biosensing, bioimaging and solid state dye sensitized solar cells. She has over 100 journal and conference papers, 2 book chapters, and 15 patents. She is the winner of NUS Young Investigator Award (2006) and Singapore National Science and Technology Young Scientist Award (2008).

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