Research labs at George Mason University .

Ancha Baranova Research Group

Systems biologyDisease biomarkersFunctional genomics

Ancha Baranova · Professor of Systems Biology

Complex illnesses rarely fit into a single molecular pathway. Ancha Baranova studies molecular networks underlying human diseases, combining multidimensional datasets to develop experimentally testable hypotheses. Her lab has investigated biomarkers for chronic liver disease and cancer, properties of cell-free DNA, and mechanisms of systemic inflammation, insulin resistance, and organ fibrosis in aging. Research also examines longitudinal health monitoring in personalized medicine. This connects functional genomics and pathway analysis with questions about how chronic disease develops across interacting biological systems.

SSIndependently curated · Unclaimed

Biomedical Imaging Laboratory

Ultrasound imagingWearable sensorsProsthetics

Siddhartha Sikdar · Distinguished University Professor of Bioengineering

Could a wearable ultrasound sensor help someone control a prosthetic hand? Siddhartha Sikdar investigates brain-body interactions through imaging, with applications to chronic pain, stroke, spinal cord injury, and amputation. His group develops ultrasound, optical, and hybrid imaging methods and studies wearable ultrasound sensing of muscle activity for controlling prosthetic hands and exoskeletons. The research connects technology development with translational studies of human movement and disability. It is a focused match for interests in biomedical imaging, rehabilitation engineering, and assistive technologies.

ASIndependently curated · Unclaimed

Computational Biology Laboratory

AI for scienceProtein modelingComputational biophysics

Amarda Shehu · Professor of Computer Science

How can algorithms help explain a molecule’s structure, motion, and function? Amarda Shehu studies computational structural biology, biophysics, and bioinformatics, including probabilistic search and optimization for protein modeling. Her broader AI research develops frameworks for understanding complex biological and engineered systems, with projects involving protein language models and property-controlled molecule generation. The work connects foundational machine learning with scientific questions about biomolecules. It offers a concrete research match for interests in AI for science, molecular modeling, and algorithm design.

HPIndependently curated · Unclaimed

Humanitarian Informatics Lab

Human-centered AICrisis informaticsNatural-language processing

Hemant Purohit · Associate Professor of Information Sciences and Technology

During a crisis, useful information can be buried in a flood of online messages. Hemant Purohit develops human-centered AI systems for analyzing behavior and managing unstructured, multi-source data in real time. His Humanitarian Informatics Lab combines natural-language processing, semantic computing, and machine learning with social and cognitive theories. Applications include emergency preparedness and response, public safety, and cybersecurity. The research emphasizes human control and collaboration with intelligent systems, offering an intersection of data science, public services, and crisis informatics.

VCIndependently curated · Unclaimed

Vikas Chandhoke Research Group

Liver diseaseMetabolic syndromeBiomarkers

Vikas Chandhoke · Professor of Systems Biology

How do metabolic changes contribute to liver disease and declining health? Vikas Chandhoke studies the pathophysiology and biomarkers of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and liver fibrosis. His research interests connect obesity, metabolic syndrome, and the personal metabolome with the longitudinal maintenance of health. The work includes health applications of biotechnology and translational questions about metabolic disease. It offers a research setting for interests in disease biomarkers, systems biology, and the relationship between whole-body metabolic processes and damage to individual organs.