Doctoral Student
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Current Research:
My research interest lies in the application of Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) for biomechanics study, specifically in cell mechanics. Currently, I am working on investigation of cell stiffness as a biomarker of ovarian cancer using AFM. This research utilizes the drastic change in single cell stiffness upon malignancy to detect ovarian cancer at an early stage in a convenient and non-invasive manner; we also found that highly metastatic ovarian cancer cells are much softer than less metastatic ovarian cancer cells, which potentially provides a quick and easy way to determine if these cells are highly metastatic. These discoveries may not only contribute to a better understanding of tumor progression at the physical and molecular level but also help clinicians with the design of optimal chemotherapies, not exclusively for ovarian cancer but also for other cancer types.
Contact:
email: xuw3@gatech.edu
Office: 771 Ferst Drive (Love Building) Rm 110