Principal Investigator:
Aviad Hai, PhD
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Also: Dept. of Electrical & Computer Engineering
& Grainger Institute for Engineering
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Engineering Centers Building
1550 Engineering Dr
Madison, WI 53706
Scientist: Alireza Ashtiani, PhD, ECE
Alireza is focused on fabrication and development
of next generation miniaturized ion-sensitive
field effect transistors and resonators that will
be used to monitor neuronal activities in MRI.
His interests include device fabrication,
microfluidics, and flexible electronics
for biomedical devices.
PhD Student: Jack Phillips, BME (BSc: UChicago)
Jack is using electrophysiological and
computational methods to develop tetherless
neural sensors. They are interested in every step
of developing new types of brain machine
interfaces: from fabrication to neurobiological
validation and eventual clinical use.
PhD Student: Suyash Bhatt, ECE (BSc: Carnegie Melon)
Suyash is focused on developing new technologies
for wireless sensing of brain activity. His work
revolves around combining resonators with
ion-sensitive field effect transistors and
their subsequent validation from fabrication
to clinical use.
PhD Student, lab manager: Ilhan Bok, ECE (BSc: UW-Madison)
Ilhan is interested in developing methods
for recording and stimulating brain activity
using tools such as injectable sensors and nanoparticles.
He is involved in all aspects of the process
from simulation to fabrication, construction
and experimental validation.
PhD student: Jamie Sergay, BME
Jamie is focused on multiplexed electrophysiological
characterization of 2D and 3D neuronal models using
microelectrode arrays in parallel with novel
fluorescent probes. Her research interests revolve
around the mechanical and electrical characteristics
of neurons impacted from mild traumatic brain
injuries. Jamie is jointly advised by Christian Franck
at the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
PhD student: Adam Vareberg, BME (BSc: Harvard BioE/EE '19)
Adam is working on adapting new devices and computational
methods to decipher brain networks based on low-temporal
resolution measurements relevant to MRI. He is
interested in providing new tools and techniques
to mitigate the trade-off between resolution
and invasiveness in neuroscience.
PhD student: Emily Blick, BME (BSc: University of Maryland)
Emily is interested in studying secondary
injury processes and neuroinflammation following
traumatic brain injury (TBI)—by correlating neural
signaling dynamics with inflammatory biomarkers.
She is especially interested in the long-term impacts
of mild TBI and its link to the onset of a variety
of neurodegenerative disorders.
PhD student: Xiaoxuan Ren, ECE
Xiaoxuan is working on computational models
of neural networks by combining both spontaneous
and evoked neuronal activity to decode brain
connectivity.
PhD student: TShawn Zhu, ECE
TShawn is working on novel nanofabricated resonators
and optimized code for high speed vector network
analyzer to pick up neural sensor frequency
responses wirelessly. He is interested in the
practical use of neurobiology and neuroengineering.
MSc student: Yash Gokhale, BME
Yash is currently working on nitrogen vacancy
diamond based magnetometry in order to
validate magnetic biosensors and visualize
neuronal signaling at sub nT/√Hz sensitivities.
He is interested in building devices
that further our understanding of interfacing
with the nervous system.
MSc student: Xiangfei Wang, BME (BSc: UCDavis)
Xiangfei is currently developing code for
low field MRI applications.
He is interested in understanding neural
signaling and applying the knowledge to design
novel and practical neural interfaces.
Undergraduate Researcher: Lydia Malen, Computer Engineering and CS'26
Lydia is working on developing 3D printed
radio frequency coils for wireless MRI applications.
She is interested in the applications of
computer hardware and software for the
biomedical engineering field.
Undergraduate Researcher: Emily Masterson, BME '23
Emily is working on new implantable devices
for sensing electrophysiological activity.
She is interested in aiding the development
of neuroscience practices for real-world
biomedical applications.
Undergraduate Researcher: Amber Schneider, BME '23
Amber is working on building and optimizing
a tabletop MRI capable of validating brain
sensors. She is interested in the development
of devices for real-world biomedical
applications.
Undergraduate Researcher: Anna Vena, CS
Anna is focused on fabricating new optical configurations
to allow for fine tuned optical-based magnetic recordings
at high speeds. She is interested in electronic applications
that address neurological diseases.
