Tony Huang, assistant professor of engineering science and mechanics, has been awarded the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director's New Innovator Award for his research related to early cancer detection.
The award is for $2.2 million over the span of five years and addresses two goals -- stimulating highly innovative research and supporting promising new investigators.
Huang's research project is titled "On-chip Optofluidic Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope for Early Cancer Detection."
The Laser Scanning Confocal Microscopy (LSCM) has conventionally aided in early cancer detection but is based on the assembly of bulky, expensive equipment. Huang has created a miniature, high-resolution LSCM system, a transformative technical route Optofluidic Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope.
Huang is one of 52 national awardees.