Our research focus is to combine biochemical and biophysical techniques to investigate the structure and function of two classes of membrane proteins. In the first instance, we are investigating the mechanism of a zinc transporter, hZIP4. This protein has been implicated in the initiation and progression of pancreatic cancer. Despite the central role of this protein in cellular homeostasis, the mechanism of cation transport is not well understood. Secondly, we have been investigating the molecular determinants that help to define the functionality of opsin proteins. View Profile
A widely respected neuroscientist, Jean King joined the WPI community as the Peterson Family Dean of Arts and Sciences in 2017. In addition to her duties as dean, she is a professor in the Department of Biology and Biotechnology. Dr. King’s research uses functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to identify and monitor neuronal plasticity associated with addiction, ADHD, depression, fearfulness, anxiety, autism and neurological disorders (PD and TBI) in animal models with the hope of finding clues to help us understand these conditions in humans. ... View Profile
Xiangnan Kong
Associate Professor-Computer Science
Email: xkong@wpi.edu
Office: Atwater Kent Lab, Rm 125
Professor Kong’s research interests focus on data mining and machine learning, with emphasis on addressing the data science problems in biomedical and social applications. Data today involves an increasing number of data types that need to be handled differently from conventional data records, and an increasing number of data sources that need to be fused together. Dr. Kong is particularly interested in designing algorithms to tame data variety issues in various research fields, such as biomedical research, social computing, neuroscience, and business intelligence. ... View Profile
My research is interdisciplinary and spans the fields of bioinformatics of complex disease, computational genomics, systems biology, and biomedical data analytics. We bring expertise in machine learning, data mining and massive data analytics to study molecular mechanisms underlying genetic disorders, such as cancer, diabetes, and autism, and deadly infections, such as pandemic flu. Our approaches benefit from integrating Next Generation Sequencing, high-throughput interactomics, and structural biology data. ... View Profile
Dr. Adam C. Lammert joined the Department of Biomedical Engineering in August of 2019 in the area of Neuroengineering, and as part of the Neuroscience Initiative at WPI. His research is focused on neural control of human movement, with the complementary aims of understanding the neural mechanisms of sensorimotor control and finding meaningful patterns in movements as a window into the brain and brain health. ... View Profile
I work with Dean Jean King, where our research is broadly focused on identifying and studying neurobehavioral mechanisms of mental illness and developing effective interventions. We currently use functional MRI (fMRI) to identify the neural correlates of mindfulness based stress reduction as part of a stage IIa randomized clinical trial, and fMRI data combined with related clinical measures to develop machine learning based early predictors of severe depression and suicidality. ... View Profile
Angela Incollingo Rodriguez is an assistant professor of psychology in the Department of Social Science and Policy Studies. She is also a faculty member with the Neuroscience Initiative, a director of the Global Public Health minor program, and an affiliated faculty member in the WPI Healthcare Delivery Institute.
Her research program uses a biopsychosocial approach to study health and health behaviors. ... View Profile
Carolina Ruiz
Professor-Computer Science
Email: ruiz@wpi.edu
Office: Fuller Labs 232
Phone: +1 (508) 8315000 x5640
Carolina Ruiz's research interests are in machine learning, artificial intelligence and data mining. Together with her graduate and undergraduate students, Dr. Ruiz has worked on numerous interdisciplinary research projects with clinicians from the University of Massachusetts Medical School on developing and using machine learning algorithms over clinical and behavioral patient data. ... View Profile
We are interested in learning how small molecules in the blood stream can cause cells to react in specific ways, such as growing, dividing or migrating. While there are many agents that can stimulate or inhibit cell behavior, we are most interested in the ability of certain hormones and neurotransmitters to activate a family of proteins called "G Proteins". G proteins can simulate an enzyme called phospholipase Cbeta (PLCbeta). Activation of PLCbeta raises the level of calcium in the cell, which changes the activity of many other proteins. ... View Profile
Jeanine LM Skorinko
Professor- Social Science
Office: Salisbury Labs 317D
Phone: +1 (508) 8315000 x5451
Jeanine Skorinko is a professor of psychology at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in the Department of Social Science and Policy Studies. She also is the director of the Psychological Science undergraduate program. She received her PhD in social psychology at the University of Virginia.
Her research program attempts to understand how factors in our social environment, especially those factors we are unaware of, influence decisions and interpersonal interactions. ... View Profile
Erin Solovey
Assistant Professor
Email: esolovey@wpi.edu
Office: FL B21
Phone: +1 (508) 8315000 x6936
My research is in human-computer interaction. One focus of my research is on next-generation interaction techniques, such as brain-computer interfaces, physiological computing, and reality-based interaction. I design, build and evaluate interactive computing systems that use machine learning approaches to adapt and support the user’s changing cognitive state and context. I also investigate novel paradigms for designing with accessibility in mind, particularly for the Deaf community. Much of my work also explores effective human interaction with complex and autonomous systems and vehicles. ... View Profile
Jagan Srinivasan
Associate Professor-Biological Science
Office: Life Sciences and Bioengineering Center GP4006
Phone: +1 (508) 8316564
It has been my lifelong dream to become a professor in the field of Biology. Being a faculty member provides a great opportunity to teach and interact with students. Students by nature are highly inquisitive and motivated, and as teachers, we have the responsibility to guide our students to explore and think in new ways. I believe that teaching is a two-way interaction between teachers and students. I come from India and my parents, both of whom were teachers, taught me to strive for excellence in my scholarly pursuits. ... View Profile
Other Affiliated Faculty
David S. Adams
Professor-Biological Science
Office: Life Science and Bioengineering Center 4003
Phone: +1 (508) 8315000 x5432
This is a great place to do biology! WPI lies within a driving commute of 260 different biotech companies, and is located within one of the world's two main meccas for biotechnology. My lab's main interest is the use of neurotrophic factors (NTFs) as potential treatments for stroke and Alzheimer's disease. NTFs are proteins produced during development when the nervous system is initially forming, that act to help nerve cells survive and divide. Once the nervous system is formed, their synthesis typically diminishes. ... View Profile
Dirk Albrecht
Associate Professor-Engineering
Office: Gateway Park 4004
Phone: +1 (508) 8315000 x4859
My research is in the area of microtechnology and neuroscience, with a focus on developing quantitative tools to study how neural signals govern behavior. My laboratory aims to investigate the molecular and genetic basis of neural circuit function and dynamics, to develop bioinformatic tools for analysis of high-content neural data, and to design rapid cellular and whole-organism screens for therapeutic drugs and genetic modulators affecting neural disease. ... View Profile
My research in applied mathematics is in the field of inverse problems and uncertainty quantification, which involves estimating unknown system parameters using indirect observations and analyzing the changes in predicted outcomes due to changes in the inputs. In particular, I am interested in the design and analysis of efficient and robust nonlinear filtering algorithms for state and parameter estimation within a Bayesian inference framework and the application of such algorithms in analyzing real-world data. Please see my personal website for more information. View Profile
I possess a strong commitment to student education, and a goal of mine is to stimulate students' critical thinking and problem solving abilities. I have a well-grounded research background, which informs my teaching of interdisciplinary topics with an expertise in environmental science and conservation biology in both North and Latin America. I take an experiential approach to teaching where students receive a solid foundation of knowledge but then apply this to real-life situations. Field projects and service learning are essential components of my classroom instruction. ... View Profile
Scott D Barton
Associate Professor- Arts, Communications, and Humanities
Office: Alden Hall 208
Phone: +1 (508) 8315000 x5620
I compose, perform, record, mix and produce electroacoustic music; I am interested in how we can use the tools and techniques of audio production to explore new musical territory. I build mechatronic and robotic musical instruments; I am interested in how we can free electronic music from the world of speakers through computer-controlled automatic mechanical instruments. I conduct research and experiments that explore how our cognitive and perceptual processes affect our musical experience; I am interested in how we can use such research to guide our compositional and analytic activities. ... View Profile
Frederick W. Bianchi
Professor of Music
Email: bianchi@wpi.edu
Office: AH 205
Phone: +1 (508) 8315000 x5053
Professor Frederick Bianchi works in the area of music technology. As the director of music technology research, Bianchi works with students from all disciplines. His particular focus is Virtual Orchestra technology and multichannel sound design. In addition to overseeing the Media Arts Group Innovation Center (MAGIC), Professor Bianchi is also the director of the Bar Harbor, Maine Project Center and the Glacier National Park Project Center. View Profile
Kristen Billiar
Professor and Department Head
Office: Gateway Park 4008
Phone: +1 (508) 8315000 x5384
Understanding the mechanisms by which mechanical forces regulate the development and healing of connective tissues and the pathogenesis of disease is becoming one of the foremost problems at the intersection of biomechanics and cell biology—it has spawned the field of mechanobiology. In our lab we use precisely engineered, two-dimensional and three-dimensional constructs as model systems to study the effects of external internal (cell-generated) forces on cell behavior, matrix biochemistry, and the biomechanics of soft tissues and biomaterials. ... View Profile
Chemistry research in the Burdette group occurs at the interface of synthesis, metal ion homeostasis & signaling, cell biology and photochemistry. The group is developing molecular tools that will facilitate efforts to map cellular metal ion signaling pathways, and understand the pathologies of neurodegenerative diseases. Of particular interest is the development of photocaged complexes that are capable of releasing zinc in a light-dependent manner in biological systems. These tools are designed and synthesized to optimize the temporal and spatial control of zinc release. ... View Profile
My research is in the area of Partial Differential Equations. I am also interested in Calculus of Variations and in analytic aspects of Quasiconformal Mappings, Sub-Riemannian Geometry, Minimal Surfaces and Mean Curvature Flow. Partial differential equations, and more in general Mathematics, provide a powerful language to express our understanding of complex phenomena in nature and in other contexts. The equilibrium and tension between pure mathematics and the applications that have motivated it is a source of never ending discovery and fascination for me. ... View Profile
Soussan Djamasbi
Professor-Business
Email: djamasbi@wpi.edu
Office: Washburn Shops 216A
Phone: +1 (508) 8315000 x5266
I teach both graduate and undergraduate courses, as well as advise PhD projects, IQPs and MQPs. I enjoy teaching because it's a dynamic and innovative process that challenges me to continually evaluate and adjust my teaching strategies to prepare my students for today’s global and competitive business environment. Teaching is also one the most rewarding experiences in my career because it allows me to witness my students' growth and accomplishments. Similarly, research is a dynamic and innovative process, and I truly enjoy it. ... View Profile
Tanja Dominko
Professor-Biological Science
Office: Life Science and Bioengineering Center 4020
Phone: +1 (508) 8315000 x4108
Our lab investigates the molecular basis of phenotype switching in human fibroblasts that can be modulated using defined extracellular stimuli. We evaluate the role of oxygen and growth factor FGF2 isoforms independently and in combination in order to identify key molecular mechanisms and pathways, some of which closely mimic mechanisms described in human embryonic stem cells. Extended lifespan of these cells in culture also offers us a model for investigation of molecular mechanism that are regulating cell cycle in the context of both aging and cancer. ... View Profile
Joseph B. Duffy
Associate Professor and Department Head
Office: Life Science and Bioengineering Center 4015
Phone: +1 (508) 8315000 x5579
Defining signaling pathways that program cellular diversity is one of the foremost problems in biology and is central to my research interests. In the lab we use molecular, genetic, and biochemical approaches to characterize the function of these pathways and to gain insight into their role in disease. To date, the lab has focused on the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor network, a principal therapeutic target for a variety of human cancers. ... View Profile
Michael B. Elmes
Professor
Email: mbelmes@wpi.edu
Office: Washburn Shops 203
Phone: +1 (508) 8315000 x5182
Since arriving at WPI in 1990, I have framed my role in the classroom as helping technically-minded students to become more cognizant and mindful of the complex human and behavioral dimensions of life in organizations. I have done this in a variety of ways from experiential exercises to digital storytelling to classroom-as-organization designs. ... View Profile
Natalie Farny
Assistant Professor- Biology & Biotechnology
Office: Life Sciences and Bioengineering Center, 60 Prescott St, Room 4034
Phone: +1 (508) 8315000 x6511
My research interests broadly focus on the molecular biology of mRNA translational control – or more simply put, “why” and “how” cells regulate the translation of their mRNAs into proteins. I am particularly interested in translational control as it relates to the cellular stress response. When cells are stressed by environmental factors, such as energy deprivation, heavy metal poisoning, or extreme temperatures, they will conserve resources by restricting mRNA translation. ... View Profile
Arne Gericke
Department Head and Professor
Office: Life Sci. & BioEng Room 3024
Phone: +1 (508) 8315000 x5263
received my undergraduate and graduate education at the University of Hamburg (Germany). My doctoral thesis was concerned with the development of infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy for monolayers at the air/water interface. I came to the United States in 1994 as a postdoctoral student to join the research group of Professor Richard Mendelsohn at Rutgers University. During that time I conducted biomedical research directed at the biophysical characterization of lung surfactant proteins, bone tissue, and lipid/protein interactions. ... View Profile
My research interests lie in the broad area of circuits and systems, and my primary area of interest is analog/mixed signal integrated circuits. More specifically, I am interested in the circuit design of sensing interfaces and energy harvesting and wireless power transmission systems for applications in the IoT. Exponential increases in the demand for next-generation clinical and telemedical diagnostic devices require monitoring and measurements from inside and outside of the body via implantable and wearable sensors predicted to be an important pillar of smart healthcare. ... View Profile
Information visualization is a powerful means for understanding data and informing human minds. As people begin to rely on visualizations to make high-impact and even life-critical decisions, there is a growing need to ensure that information can be perceived accurately and precisely. My research addresses these challenges by leveraging cognitive and perceptual principles to quantify and model user performance with visualizations. ... View Profile
I am a mathematical physicist working on the development and application of mathematical methods to atmospheric research and satellites orbits. As part of this research, I am also developing new methods for the use of symmetry principles to solve differential equations. I have taught a broad spectrum of applied math courses on the undergraduate and graduate levels. View Profile
The biomechanical mechanisms behind traumatic brain injury (TBI) have been an active research focus for more than 70 years. However, the field is still largely focused on impact kinematics or estimated brain responses in generic regions from single head impact to predict a binary brain injury status on a population basis. An important research focus in my lab is to integrate advanced neuroimaging into TBI biomechanics research to understand injuries to functionally important neural pathways. At the same time, we develop techniques to achieve near real-time response feedbacks. ... View Profile
At WPI, I enjoy teaching all courses fundamental to applied mathematics, scientific computing, and modeling. I look forward to mentoring students interested in working on areas in Mathematical Biology, Computational Biofluids, and Scientific Computing. I specialize in Mathematical Biology, understanding emergent properties of complex systems. The goals of these models are to understand the underlying biological processes and make predictions. Please visit my website to learn more about recent research projects.
View Profile
Carolina Ruiz
Professor-Computer Science
Email: ruiz@wpi.edu
Office: Fuller Labs 232
Phone: +1 (508) 8315000 x5640
Carolina Ruiz's research interests are in machine learning, artificial intelligence and data mining. Together with her graduate and undergraduate students, Dr. Ruiz has worked on numerous interdisciplinary research projects with clinicians from the University of Massachusetts Medical School on developing and using machine learning algorithms over clinical and behavioral patient data. ... View Profile
Elizabeth F. Ryder
Associate Professor
Office: Life Science and Bioengineering Center 4024
Phone: +1 (508) 8315000 x6011
I have a long-standing interest in applying computer science and mathematics to solve biological problems. I am currently the Associate Director of WPI’s Program in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, and I am always looking for students with interests in this exciting interdisciplinary area. One of my goals in teaching biology is to help students to think more quantitatively about biological questions. A few years ago, my colleague Dr. Brian White of UMass Boston and I were awarded a grant from the NSF to develop a course, “Simulation in Biology”. ... View Profile
I have been teaching and conducting research at WPI since 1988. Teaching is a lot of fun since it involves interactions with students, and we can pass our knowledge and experiences to students for their better future. I have been conducting research for cardiovascular modeling in the past 30 years and has made various contributions, especially in using image-based modeling for vulnerable plaque progression and rupture investigations. I collaborate with faculty from many universities, including Harvard, MIT, University of Washington (Seattle), Washington University (St. ... View Profile
Luis Vidali
Associate Professor
Office: Life Science and Bioengineering Center 4018
Phone: +1 (508) 8315000 x4194
I deeply enjoy teaching, in particular conveying the important roles played by plants. It is a great reward when my students realize that plants are more complex and interesting than they anticipated, and they want to learn more. I enjoy that students at WPI are open about thinking in new ways; this critical thinking is the result of intense project-based learning. My research aims at understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying plant cell organization and growth, with the long-term goal of increasing plant productivity. ... View Profile
Craig E Wills
Professor and Department Head
Email: cew@wpi.edu
Office: Fuller Labs 234
Phone: +1 (508) 8315000 x5622
My research has primarily focused on Internet application performance and measurement with more recent work examining issues related to Internet privacy. This work has led to a number of research publications and presentations as well as visibility in venues such as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and NPR Science Friday.
WPI is a great place for me to be a faculty member as I have the opportunity to teach and advise top-quality students as well as pursue interesting directions of research. ... View Profile
Wilson Wong
Assistant Teaching Professor
Email: wwong2@wpi.edu
Office: Fuller B19
Phone: +1 (508) 8315000 x5706
Prior to entering academia, I worked as Chief Technologist, Director of Information Systems, and Director of Technical Operations at various corporations in the information systems and software field. For the past 16 years teaching in university courses, I have aimed to impart this industry experience in my software engineering and databases courses by incorporating real life projects, examples, and whenever possible, collaborations with business organizations such as Brigham & Women's Hospital, the US Treasury, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and Massachusetts General Hospital. ... View Profile
Professor Wu's research interest lies in applying the power of statistical science to promote biomedical researches. In statistical genetics, he is developing novel statistical theory and methodology to analyze genome-wide association (GWA) data and deep (re)sequencing data to hunt new genetic factors for complex human diseases. In epigenetics, he is studying gene expression regulation mechanisms through chromatin interaction, and RNA silencing pathways in the developmental stages of germ-line cells. ... View Profile
My research involves analysing size and shape development in biological processes. The form of living systems can be affected by growth and internal force, so it is important to know how they are patterned spatial-temporally. To do this, I develop deterministic approximate inference schemes using static and live imaging data; and develop mathematical models and numerical methods to describe tissue growth and morphogenesis. My research at WPI has attracted interest from all levels of students, and they have become enthusiastic and creative contributors. View Profile
Vadim V. Yakovlev
Associate Research Professor
Office: Stratton Hall 104C
Phone: +1 (508) 8315000 x5495
My professional interests include electromagnetic and multiphysics modeling, scientific computations, and optimization in various interdisciplinary areas involving high frequency electromagnetics. I am particularly interested in applications of microwave power engineering as well as microwave imaging (i.e., non-destructive evaluation and testing of materials from the characteristics of the electromagnetic field). I run the Industrial Microwave Modeling Group (IMMG), which I established in 1999 as a division of WPI’s Center for Industrial Mathematics and Statistics (CIMS). ... View Profile