Principal Investigator

Yun-Sheng Chen, PhD

Yun-Sheng Chen is an assistant professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He is a faculty member of Beckman Institute, Nick Holonyak Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory (HMNTL), and affiliated with the Department of Bioengineering and the Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences of The Carle Illinois College of Medicine. He earned his master’s in materials science and engineering from National Sun-Yat Sen University, Taiwan, and optics from CREOL at the University of Central Florida. Yun-Sheng subsequently attained his Ph.D. in electrical engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, where he had the privilege of working under the distinguished guidance of Professor Stanislav Emelianov. Following the completion of his Ph.D., Yun-Sheng was accepted into a highly competitive postdoctoral training program, the Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), at Stanford University, Department of Radiology, where he worked under the supervision of Professor Sanjiv Sam Gambhir, a renowned pioneer in the field of molecular imaging. He was also awarded the esteemed Google Faculty Award, ISAC award. Yun-Sheng’s scholarly pursuits focus on developing innovative, translatable imaging, diagnostic, and therapeutic techniques utilizing light and ultrasound.

Current Members

Xingxing Zhang

Dr. Zhang is a postdoctoral fellow. She received her Ph.D. in biomedical science from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. During her doctoral studies, she specialized in prostate cancer progression, exploring the pivotal roles of the nuclear receptor NURR1. Her work illuminated the intricate connections between NURR1 and pathways like Wnt/β-catenin signaling, offering invaluable insights into the mechanics of prostate cancer. Beyond these specializations, Xingxing’s expertise extends to cancer animal models, cell-derived extracellular microvesicles, and innovative drug delivery systems.

Souradip Paul

Dr. Paul is a postdoctoral fellow. He earned his Ph.D. from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Thiruvananthapuram. Specializing in photoacoustic computed tomography and microscopy, his expertise extends to optics and ultrasound imaging. Dr. Paul’s research significantly enhances image reconstruction and clarity, contributing to more accurate medical diagnostics.

Shensheng Zhao

Shensheng is a graduate student in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). He received his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) and was the Guomoruo Scholarship honoree at USTC. At UIUC, Shensheng has received several prestigious fellowships, including the Beckman Graduate Fellowship, A.R. Buck Knight Fellowship, and Mavis Future Faculty Fellowship. Outside of the lab, Shensheng enjoys swimming and playing table tennis.

Swathi Katakam

Swathi is a graduate student in electrical engineering. She received her bachelor’s in biomedical engineering from Tulane University. She is interested in investigating signal processing techniques to improve the effectiveness of medical imaging tools.

Henry (Hanwei) Wang (Co-supervised with Professor Yang Zhao)

Henry is a graduate student in electrical engineering at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. He received his bachelor’s degree in physics at Tsinghua University. He is interested in applying nanophotonics to biomedical imaging. Henry is a Mavis fellow (2022-2023) at UIUC. He is a recipient of the prestigious Yee Fellowship, McCully, and Allen Fellowship, and Illinois International Graduate Achievement Award.

Megha Agrawal

Megha Agrawal is an undergraduate student majoring in Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and pursuing a minor in Chemistry. She is interested in nanotechnology, biomedical imaging, and prosthetics.

 

Kashyap Ramachandrula

Kashyap is an undergraduate student majoring in computer engineering. He is interested in artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, and medical imaging. He hopes to pursue a career in these engineering fields as he continues to develop as an ECE major.

 

Rudra Patel

Rudra Patel is an undergraduate student majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He is interested in biomedical imaging.

 

Tony Huang

Tony Huang is an undergraduate student majoring in Bioengineering and pursuing a minor in Electrical and Computer Engineering. He is interested in biomedical imaging, medical device development, and the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

 

Madison Jones

Madison is an undergraduate student majoring in Computer Science. She is interested in biomedical imaging.

 

Alumni

  • Leanne Lee (now in GSK)
  • Kewei Song (now in University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Graduate School)
  • Ji Shi (now in University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Graduate School)
  • Ritin Joseph (now in Sandia National Laboratories) 
  • Sean Yao (now in University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Graduate School)
  • Jonathan Hartanto (now in Stanford University, Graduate School)
  • Christine Wu (now in University of Washington, Seatle, Graduate School)