Corey Zheng
BME PhD Defense Presentation

Date: 2026-03-16
Time: 12:30 - 2:30PM
Location / Meeting Link: Suddath Seminar Room 1128; https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_MTJjODhkYWMtMDE3Yy00MWVjLTg2MWEtNmJmMjkzNjZkNjJk%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22482198bb-ae7b-4b25-8b7a-6d7f32faa083%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22c992ec57-1f64-4f02-b446-516136ed45b3%22%7d

Committee Members:
Shu Jia; Francisco Robles; David Myers; Hang Lu; Shuichi Takayama


Title: Towards Systems Biophotonics in Microscopy, Medicine, and Robotics

Abstract:
Vision is among the most information-rich sensory modalities available, enabling organisms to acquire light from the environment, transform it through optical and neural processing, and extract behaviorally relevant information. Unsurprisingly, the field of optical imaging has deeply intertwined with biology through years of history: from basic corrective optics meant to overcome shortcomings in our own natural sight, to complex microscopes designed to study the smallest of biomolecular phenomena, and coming full-circle to leveraging organism-inspired structures to enhance imaging, the study of light and biology has become inseparable. Systems biophotonics refers broadly to development at the systems level of technology at the intersection of photonics and biology, encompassing the application of optical techniques to investigate biology, and the translation of biological capabilities into engineered optical systems. This thesis presents the systems-level development, including instrumentation, imaging, and algorithmic strategies, for three distinct challenges in different facets of biophotonics. We first tackle the challenges in the fundamental study of biology by developing a high-speed fluorescence imaging instrument boasting exceptional speed and system compatibility. Then, taking inspiration from biology, we address a major gap in the development of soft robotic systems by introducing a bioinspired soft material lens and detector system. Finally, enhancement of clinical tissue imaging is achieved through the development of a multimodal endoscope unifying three-dimensional imaging and angiography, towards the goal of restoring and enhancing a surgeon’s natural perception in a constrained minimally-invasive environment.