Haogang Cai, PhD

My research is focused on biomedical and nanoengineering. We build new paradigms of nanotechnology for biological and biomedical applications, including nanoengineered biomimetic cell interfaces, optical metasurfaces and nanophotonics, scalable nanofabrication and device integration.

We investigate cell mechanobiology and molecular mechanisms at the micro and nanometer scale, where key cellular functions and molecular processes take place. Borrowing the advanced top-down nanolithographic technology from semiconductor industry, we create nanoengineered “bio-chips” from the bottom-up, by placing biomolecules in predetermined locations to form molecular architectures mimicking cell surfaces and microenvironment. We investigate the geometric effect of transmembrane receptor clustering on critical cellular functions from adhesion to immune response. These findings will provide both theoretical guidance and clinical platforms for cell therapies and nanomedicine (e.g., to direct critical cellular functions in unparalleled precise and controllable manner, by manipulating receptor clustering and signaling at the molecular level).

We create optical metasurfaces and metamaterials, composed of nanostructures that manipulate light-matter interactions in a way not found in naturally occurring materials. The meta-optics and flat optics can replace conventional bulky and curvy optics and enable more compact optical systems with advanced functionalities. We also develop novel computational inverse design strategy, metasurface fabrication, transfer and integration methods. This novel technology provides enormous potentials to transform diagnostic and therapeutic methods (e.g., endoscopic imaging, sensing, light delivery, laser intervention, etc.).