Our research program is at the interface of several disciplines including nanotechnology, microbiology, molecular biology, and colloid chemistry. Research in our laboratory focuses on the fundamental aspects of cell, microbe, and biomolecule attachment to surfaces of environmental or biomedical interest. Environmental applications of our research include protection of groundwater supplies from colloidal contaminants, wastewater and drinking water treatment, and development of biosensors for detection of contaminants. Examples of biomedical applications of our work include the development of non-infective biomaterials for use in implantable medical devices and development of diagnostics for tracking of mammalian cell health.

Our research activities broadly span five areas of interest:

• Biocolloid-surface interactions in aqueous systems
• Physicochemical processes for water quality control
• Transport and fate of microbial pathogens in the aquatic environment
• Environmental nanotechnology
• Biosensors for contaminant detection and biomedical diagnostics