Professor Regina Ragan
March 15, 2017 – Professor Ragan’s research involves developing new processes in advanced manufacturing of nanoscale devices. She is developing technology that uses optical sensing to detect metabolites, which serve as biomarkers of disease. At Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), she will implement her pioneering methods for nanomanufacturing nanophotonic devices and investigate their use in next-generation medical diagnostic tools.
“I am honored to be selected among the prestigious group of Fulbright Scholars,” said Ragan. “It is an exciting opportunity to engage with leaders in Germany who have made significant strides in large-area manufacturing of nanostructures and are effectively working with industry for technology transfer.”
With two annual visits to Germany, Ragan will coordinate research between her UCI group and her KIT collaborators. At KIT, she will work with Jan Korvink, head of the Institute of Microstructure Technology, and Ulrich Lemmer, scientific coordinator of the School of Optics & Photonics. This combined expertise will help the team fabricate an affordable, compact, integrated sensing system that could be deployed broadly to meet remote health care needs in poor countries. Korvink has a distinguished record of accomplishment in advancing low-cost diagnostics in developing nations.