Natural Sciences
Showing 1-50 of 80 Results
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Hongjie Dai
The J.G. Jackson and C.J. Wood Professor of Chemistry, Emeritus
BioProfessor Dai’s research spans chemistry, physics, and materials and biomedical sciences, leading to materials with properties useful in electronics, energy storage and biomedicine. Recent developments include near-infrared-II fluorescence imaging, ultra-sensitive diagnostic assays, a fast-charging aluminum battery and inexpensive electrocatalysts that split water into oxygen and hydrogen fuels.
Born in 1966 in Shaoyang, China, Hongjie Dai began his formal studies in physics at Tsinghua U. (B.S. 1989) and applied sciences at Columbia U. (M.S. 1991). He obtained his Ph.D. from Harvard U and performed postdoctoral research with Dr. Richard Smalley. He joined the Stanford faculty in 1997, and in 2007 was named Jackson–Wood Professor of Chemistry. Among many awards, he has been recognized with the ACS Pure Chemistry Award, APS McGroddy Prize for New Materials, Julius Springer Prize for Applied Physics and Materials Research Society Mid-Career Award. He has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, National Academy of Sciences (NAS), National Academy of Medicine (NAM) and Foreign Member of Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The Dai Laboratory has advanced the synthesis and basic understanding of carbon nanomaterials and applications in nanoelectronics, nanomedicine, energy storage and electrocatalysis.
Nanomaterials
The Dai Lab pioneered some of the now-widespread uses of chemical vapor deposition for carbon nanotube (CNT) growth, including vertically aligned nanotubes and patterned growth of single-walled CNTs on wafer substrates, facilitating fundamental studies of their intrinsic properties. The group developed the synthesis of graphene nanoribbons, and of nanocrystals and nanoparticles on CNTs and graphene with controlled degrees of oxidation, producing a class of strongly coupled hybrid materials with advanced properties for electrochemistry, electrocatalysis and photocatalysis. The lab’s synthesis of a novel plasmonic gold film has enhanced near-infrared fluorescence up to 100-fold, enabling ultra-sensitive assays of disease biomarkers.
Nanoscale Physics and Electronics
High quality nanotubes from his group’s synthesis are widely used to investigate the electrical, mechanical, optical, electro-mechanical and thermal properties of quasi-one-dimensional systems. Lab members have studied ballistic electron transport in nanotubes and demonstrated nanotube-based nanosensors, Pd ohmic contacts and ballistic field effect transistors with integrated high-kappa dielectrics.
Nanomedicine and NIR-II Imaging
Advancing biological research with CNTs and nano-graphene, group members have developed π–π stacking non-covalent functionalization chemistry, molecular cellular delivery (drugs, proteins and siRNA), in vivo anti-cancer drug delivery and in vivo photothermal ablation of cancer. Using nanotubes as novel contrast agents, lab collaborations have developed in vitro and in vivo Raman, photoacoustic and fluorescence imaging. Lab members have exploited the physics of reduced light scattering in the near-infrared-II (1000-1700nm) window and pioneered NIR-II fluorescence imaging to increase tissue penetration depth in vivo. Video-rate NIR-II imaging can measure blood flow in single vessels in real time. The lab has developed novel NIR-II fluorescence agents, including CNTs, quantum dots, conjugated polymers and small organic dyes with promise for clinical translation.
Electrocatalysis and Batteries
The Dai group’s nanocarbon–inorganic particle hybrid materials have opened new directions in energy research. Advances include electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction and water splitting catalysts including NiFe layered-double-hydroxide for oxygen evolution. Recently, the group also demonstrated an aluminum ion battery with graphite cathodes and ionic liquid electrolytes, a substantial breakthrough in battery science. -
Melody Dailey
Stanford Student Employee, Biology
Undergraduate, Vice Provost for Undergraduate EducationBioMelody is currently a candidate for a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Biology with a concentration in Neuroengineering and Computation. She intends to pursue graduate studies culminating in a Master’s and Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, alongside a Doctor of Medicine degree specializing in Neurology. Her academic and research interests lie at the intersection of biology, engineering, and clinical neuroscience, with a focus on advancing translational innovations to address neurological disorders.
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Gretchen C. Daily
Bing Professor of Environmental Science and Senior Fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment and, by courtesy, at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsLand use, biodiversity dynamics, ecosystem services
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Nicolo Danna
Postdoctoral Scholar, Applied Physics
BioSince his master’s and PhD at ETH, Nicolò D’Anna’s research has been dedicated to understanding and controlling quantum states of matter in low-dimensional solid-state systems. During his PhD he specialized in ultra-low-temperature magneto-transport to study dopant layers and structures in silicon for quantum computing. During his postdoc at UCSD, he focused on utilizing advanced coherent X-ray diffraction techniques to investigate metal-to-insulator transition switching in metal-oxides for neuromorphic applications. Currently, as an Urbanek-Chodorow postdoctoral fellow, he aims to achieve ultra-fast time-resolved optical interrogation and control of low-temperature quantum phases in synthetic stacked van-der-Waals systems, with a particular focus on magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene.
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Barnabas Daru
Assistant Professor of Biology and Center Fellow, by courtesy, at the Woods Institute for the Environment
BioBarnabas Daru is an Assistant Professor of Biology. He is interested in the ecology and biogeography of plants across ecological scales. He studied botany in Johannesburg, and was a postdoctoral researcher at Harvard, where he worked on new uses of herbarium specimens for understanding plant ecology and evolution in the Anthropocene, the epoch of profound human impact on Earth. Current research in the Daru lab addresses the role of phylogeny in: 1) understanding how species are distributed, 2) conserving unique communities, and 3) understanding changing distributions in the Anthropocene.
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Debadri Das
Ph.D. Student in Applied Physics, admitted Autumn 2021
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsX-Ray Science; Atomic,Molecular and Optical Science; Quantum Information Science
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Laura M.K. Dassama
Assistant Professor of Chemistry and of Microbiology and Immunology
BioLaura Dassama is a chemical biologist who uses principles from chemistry and physics to understand complex biological phenomena. Her group’s primary goal is to use detailed understanding of the factors that enable interactions between biological molecules to provide insights that allow functional control of those molecules. Her research projects aim to 1) discover the drivers of biomolecular interactions and 2) leverage that information to modulate disease relevant proteins.
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Giulio De Leo
Professor of Oceans, of Earth System Science and Senior Fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsI am a theoretical ecologist mostly interested in investigating factors and processes driving the dynamics of natural and harvested populations and on how to use this knowledge to inform practical management. I have worked broadly on life histories analysis, fishery management, dynamics and control of infectious diseases and environmental impact assessment.
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Casey Decosto
Ph.D. Student in Chemistry, admitted Autumn 2021
BioCassandra (Casey) Mendoza Decosto (she/they) is a proud first-generation Filipina American from Los Angeles, California. A Pasadena City College alumna who transferred to CSU-Los Angeles, she previously studied singlet-oxygen photochemistry with Prof. Matthias Selke. Now, as a Chemistry Ph.D. candidate in Prof. Laura Dassama’s lab, she leverages bioinformatic and biochemical approaches to discover novel proteins that drive metabolite trafficking, membrane remodeling, and antibiotic evasion in bacterial pathogens such as Treponema pallidum. As a CBI ChEM-H and EDGE fellow, Casey works to increase educational and research access on and off campus through programs like Stanford’s Community College Outreach Program (CCOP).
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Trithep Devakul
Assistant Professor of Physics
BioI specialize in theoretical condensed matter physics. My research focuses on emergent quantum phases of matter, particularly those arising from the interplay of topology with electronic interactions and correlations in two-dimensional materials.
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Persi Diaconis
Mary V. Sunseri Professor in the School of Humanities and Sciences and Professor of Mathematics
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsResearch Interests:
PROBABILITY THEORY
BAYESIAN STATISTICS
STATISTICAL COMPUTING
COMBINATORICS -
Savas Dimopoulos
Hamamoto Family Professor
BioWhat is the origin of mass? Are there other universes with different physical laws?
Professor Dimopoulos has been searching for answers to some of the deepest mysteries of nature. Why is gravity so weak? Do elementary particles have substructure? What is the origin of mass? Are there new dimensions? Can we produce black holes in the lab?
Elementary particle physics is entering a spectacular new era in which experiments at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN will soon shed light on such questions and lead to a new deeper theory of particle physics, replacing the Standard Model proposed forty years ago. The two leading candidates for new theories are the Supersymmetric Standard Model and theories with Large Extra Dimensions, both proposed by Professor Dimopoulos and collaborators.
Professor Dimopoulos is collaborating on a number of experiments that use the dramatic advances in atom interferometry to do fundamental physics. These include testing Einstein’s theory of general relativity to fifteen decimal precision, atom neutrality to thirty decimals, and looking for modifications of quantum mechanics. He is also designing an atom-interferometric gravity-wave detector that will allow us to look at the universe with gravity waves instead of light, marking the dawn of gravity wave astronomy and cosmology.
