Alwin Wan

Email: amw262@cornell.edu

Research Focus

My research lies at the interface between biological and electronic systems. This relatively new area of research (often termed Bioelectronics) has already demonstrated promise for improving both our fundamental understanding of how cells interact with their electrical microenvironment, as well as our ability to design better devices for a variety of sensing and therapeutic biomedical applications. My current work investigates the behaviour of tumourigenic and non-tumourigenic cells that are cultured on an electically "active" growth-substrate, which can efficiently establish gradients in many properties of the cellular microenvironment. The active substrates are made from conducting polymers in the polythiophene family and can be fabricated at both the macro-scale, as well as the micro-scale, by using established lithography techniques from the field of device fabrication.

Prior to coming to Cornell, I earned my B.A.Sc. in Engineering Science (specializing in Nanoengineering) at the University of Toronto. I am currently pursuing a Ph.D. in the Materials Science and Engineering department, where I work in the labs of George Malliaras and Christopher Ober. Outside of the lab, I enjoy biking up and (more so) down the many hills of Ithaca.


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