Objectives
Microelectronic Materials and Processing
Our group's major thrust is on
relationships among processing, properties and structures as well as the
development of new materials and processes. Objectives include novel
substrate surface cleaning techniques, kinetics and surface chemistry of
reaction processes on silicon substrate surfaces, controlled production
of thin heterostructure layers, and design of new material systems for
fabrication of group IV-based optical, electronic and
micro-electro-mechanical systems. Specific systems of interest include
silicon selective epitaxial growth, silicon-germanium growth, ultra thin
silicon oxynitride films, and in-situ probing of surface chemical
phenomena during the thin film growth of microelectronic materials.
Heterogeneous Catalysis and Surface Chemistry
Our group's thrust is the emergence of a
basic new understanding of several key catalytic processes on transition
metal and other surfaces at high gas pressures. Time-resolved in situ
surface-enhanced Raman spectra of adsorbed species on a subsecond/seconds
time scale coupled with in situ infrared spectra, reaction rate
measurements in transient experiments (with or without isotopes) and ex
situ spectroscopic information are used to obtain hitherto unavailable
information concerning the nature, role and kinetic significance of
reaction intermediates and adsorbed species in heterogeneous catalytic
systems at high gas pressures. Specific reaction systems of interest
include partial oxidations of
olefins and other small organic molecules, selective hydrogenations, and
nitric oxide reduction by CO or H2
on several catalysts.
Cerebral Malaria
Our group's focus is the emergence of a basic
new understanding of knob formation mechanism in plasmodium falciparum infected erythrocytes, in
collaboration with Prof. Chisti's research group in the Department of Pharmacology. The pathogenicity
of plasmodium falciparum is caused by electron-dense knob-like structures on the surface of
malaria-infected erythrocytes that sequester malaria-infected erythrocytes in the vascular
endothelium. We focus on new insight into the mechanism of knob formation that would have
significant implications for the development of new therapies for mitigating the severity
of malaria infection..
Long-term inhibition of bacterial-associated infections in implant devices
Implant-associated infections are potentially serious
complications of medical device insertions. Many times, such infections are difficult to treat.
Implant-associated infections may arise in the weeks following surgery due to contamination.
At later times, infections can arise from hematogenous sources. In joint replacements,
treatment entails aggressive systemic and local antibiotic treatment, debridement, and
many times implant removal and reimplantation. Despite aggressive antibiotic treatments,
eradication of established implant-associated infections is often unsuccessful. In
collaboration with orthopedic surgeons, our research and implementation of implant surfaces
modified with antibiotics would have a knowledge-driven impact in surgical implants and in
particular for implants used by orthopedic surgeons.
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