Researchers

Belfi’s research covers a broad range of topics in the field of music cognition, including music and autobiographical memory, musical imagery, aesthetic judgments of music, and musical anhedonia. She uses a variety of techniques to investigate these subjects, including behavioral studies, functional neuroimaging, psychophysiology, and neuropsychological approaches.

• Physics and chemistry of inorganic glasses
• Spectroscopic characterization of glass structure
• Preparation and properties of novel glasses for sealing, optical and biomedical applications
• Characterization of material surfaces and interfaceStructure, properties and applications of glass, including sealing glasses, glasses for biomedical applications, glass surfaces and strength, glasses for waste encapsulation, optical glasses, and 3D processing of glass

• Human Systems Integration
• Infrastructure Policy
• Human Machine Teams
• Risk Communication

The Roberta and G. Robert Couch Associate Professor of materials science and engineering, Convertine’s research interests include biomaterials, polymer synthesis and characterization, controlled radical polymerization, targeted drug delivery and cancer therapy. 

• Systems Engineering and Architecting
• Cyber Physical Systems
• Computational Intelligence
• Neural Networks
• Fuzzy Logic
• Evolutionary Programming
• Complex Adaptive System
• Engineering Design

• Carbon Management: Carbon capture, storage, and utilization
• Catalysis
• Microwave-assisted synthesis
• Micro ReactorsBiomass Conversion
• Biodiesel
• Cross-Coupling Reactions
• Nanotechnology
• Metal Oxides
• Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Characterization, and Catalytic Applications
• Carbon-based Materials
• Graphene
• Batch Reactors
• Flow Reactors
• Catalysis in Pharmaceutical Applications
• Catalysis in Environmental Applications
• Wastewater Treatment
• Carbon Monoxide Oxidation Catalysis
• GasificationPyrolysis

• Analytical chemistry
• Metabolomics
• Mass spectrometry
• Environmental toxicology and chemistry
• Applied microbiology and genomics
• Bioremediation and biodegradation

Assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, Fayyazbakhsh has over 15 years of experience in biomaterials design, fabrication, and characterization for tissue engineering and drug delivery with extensive knowledge in biological evaluation, animal surgery, clinical study, and health care product development. 

The Doshi Endowed Chair of the Linda and Bipin Doshi Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Gilbert is an expert in biomaterial development, Gilbert’s research focuses on scaffolds to promote tissue regeneration after injury. He studies spinal cord and peripheral nerve injuries, as well as how to improve electrode biocompatibility in the brain. To facilitate regeneration, materials developed in his laboratory provide topographical cues to regenerating cells and release drugs or genes to spur recovery.

• Toxicity of electronic cigarettes, bioaerosols, nanomaterials, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (e.g., PCBs, dioxins), and environmental hormone modulators such as pharmaceuticals, phytochemicals, and industrial chemicals on human and environmental health
  • Molecular- and Material-based Mechanisms of Nanotoxicity
  • Evolution and Behavior of Bioaerosols and Detection of Pathogens in Indoor Environments
  • Health Effects of Electronic Cigarette Aerosols
• Development of carrier platforms to deliver biologically active molecules in vitro and in vivo for basic science research and biomedical applications
  
  • Cell-Penetrating Peptide (CPP)-Mediated Uptake of Biologically Active Molecules
  • uPA-mediated Targeted Gene Delivery System on Cancer
  • Tissue Engineering with Biomaterials
• Environmentally-Related Research Topics
  
  • Ecotoxicological Research

Her research interests are in the adverse effects of high explosives and blasting agents, specifically researching coal dust explosions, air overpressure from quarry blasting, shock physics, and shock wave injuries such as traumatic brain and lung injuries and coming up with policy, training and protective equipment improvements to overcome them.

• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science and Engineering
• Energy
• Sustainability

Environmental Microbiology, Extremophilic Microorganisms in Hypersaline Environments, Bioenergy Production, Commodity Compound Production by Extremophilic Microorganisms, Antibiotic Resistance in Environmental Microorganisms, Acidophiles, Alkaliphiles, Anaerobic Metabolism, Astrobiology, Biodegradation, Evaporites, Extremophilic Bacteria, Fluid Inclusions in Salt, Halo-alkaline Lakes, Halophilic Bacteria, Halotolerant Bacteria, Hydrogen, Hypersaline Environments, Soap Lake-Washington State, and Acidic Saline Lakes of Southern Western Australia.

• Social Psychology
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Digital Technologies
• Consumer Products
• Social Dilemmas
• Quantitative Social Research
• Communication and Media

The Richard K. Vitek/FCR Endowed Chair of Biochemistry, Sobrado specializes in natural product biosynthesis, plant metabolism and defense, and xenobiotic resistance in the fields of biochemistry and drug discovery. His current research projects, funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, focus on explaining the mechanisms of enzyme reactions, drug discovery and the development of biosynthetic approaches for commercial products. 

• Image and Signal Processing
• Computational Intelligence
• Data fusion
• Automation
• Bioinformatics
• Computer-Assisted Medical Diagnostic Aids
• Non-Destructive Evaluation for Structural Health Monitoring
• Distributed System Security
• Humanitarian Demining

• Biochemistry, genetics and anatomy of the sleep loss response: role of lipid metabolism in Drosophila
• Biochemical and genetic factors of sleep regulation
• How sleep and wake transitions reflect health and aging
• Mitigating the consequences of sleep deprivation
• Physiological and molecular biomarkers of sleepiness in humans

• Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Biochemical and Biomolecular Engineering

DNA nanotechnology, Biomaterials, Bottom-up self-assembly, Early disease diagnosis, Biomolecule-based drug delivery, Electrochemistry, Biosensing, Nanodevices, Microbial fuel cells (MFCs)

• Antibacterial Materials
• Microbiology Education
• Rhizosphere Microbiology
• Microbial Diversity
• Legume Symbiosis, Rhizoremediation, Quorum sensing
• Antimicrobial Materials
• Antimicrobial Treatments

Kummer Endowed Chair and professor of biological sciences, Yosten’s research focuses on the roles of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), in particular orphan GPCRs, in metabolic diseases such as type 1 diabetes and Prader Willi Syndrome. Yosten’s group is currently developing three-dimensional transcriptomic maps of pancreatic islets to decipher how glucagon-producing cells are affected in people with type 1 diabetes. The Yosten lab also is evaluating potential peptide-based treatments for the profound metabolic and endocrine symptoms associated with Prader Willi syndrome.