Dr. Bianxiao Cui is the Job and Gertrud Tamaki Professor of Chemistry and a fellow of the Wu Tsai Stanford Neuroscience Institute at Stanford University. She holds a Ph.D. degree in Chemistry from the University of Chicago and a BS degree from the University of Science and Technology of China. She worked as a postdoctoral scholar with Prof. Steven Chu before joining the faculty of Stanford University, Department of Chemistry. Her main area of interest is to understand how cells and tissues interact with nanoscale topographic features of material surfaces. She also develops nanoscale tools to study electrophysiology and signal transduction in neurons at normal conditions and in neurodegenerative diseases. Her awards and distinctions include Barany Award from Biophysical Society, NIH New Innovator Award, NSF CAREER award, NSF Inspire award, Packard Fellowships in Science and Engineering, Hellman Scholar, Searle Scholar Award and Dreyfus New Faculty Award.
Dr. Cui's lab is developing various physical and chemical approaches to study biological processes in neurons. They have three major research directions:
- Investigating the axonal transport process using optical imging, magnetic and optical trapping, and microfluidic platform;
- Developing vertical nanopillar-based electric and optic sensors for sensitive detection of biological functions;
- Using optogentic approach to investigate temporal and spatial control of intracellular signaling pathways.
