Conventional microscopy techniques probe biological processes by imaging the location of molecules in time and space. These techniques, however, lack the ability to reveal the physiochemical nature of how these molecules dynamically interact with their local environment.  This knowledge is crucial for not only understanding biological functions, but also establishing the molecular basis for human diseases.

To gain a molecular understanding of biological processes, my group is developing a technique that we call Raman Chemical Imaging.  This technique combines the chemical specificity of Raman spectroscopy, which probes environmentally-sensitive molecular vibrations, with sophisticated coherent microscopy techniques.  This method enables us to image the structural dynamics and interactions of biomolecules in their native cellular environment.   We are interested in broadly applying Raman Chemical Imaging to investigate how living cells regulate protein folding, how protein aggregates cause neurodegeneration, and how polymer-based nanoparticles deliver nucleic acids for use in gene therapies.