Research labs at University of California, Riverside .

Biomaterials & Nanomedicine Lab

BiomaterialsNanomedicineTissue substitutes

Huinan Hannah Liu · Professor of Bioengineering

How do cells and tissues respond to materials placed around or inside them? Liu’s Biomaterials & Nanomedicine Lab studies these interactions while developing tissue substitutes and implant materials. Research considers biodegradable polymers, ceramic nanoparticles, composites, and metals that can be absorbed by the body. The laboratory combines material synthesis and surface characterization with cell culture, biochemical analysis, and microscopy. Scaffold and drug carrier design, nanofabrication, and three dimensional prototyping connect material development with biological evaluation, exploring how engineered materials can support medical applications.

VJIndependently curated · Unclaimed

Database Lab

Database systemsSpatiotemporal dataSensor data

Vassilis J. Tsotras · Distinguished Professor and UC Presidential Chair

Data about moving objects and changing systems require databases that account for both space and time. Tsotras studies database management, indexing and access methods, temporal and spatial temporal data, and evolving database designs. His interests include querying physical trajectories, sensor data, complex objects, and patterns using hardware accelerators. Research also addresses schema evolution, dissemination, and scalable data management through systems such as ASTERIX. These directions connect the organization of changing information with the algorithms and system designs needed to retrieve and manage it effectively.

KLIndependently curated · Unclaimed

Le Roch Lab

MalariaFunctional genomicsEpigenetics

Karine Le Roch · Professor of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology

Malaria parasites depend on carefully regulated gene activity to develop and survive. Le Roch’s laboratory investigates the molecular pathways underlying that biology using functional genomics and drug discovery approaches. Research includes chromatin structure, epigenetic regulation, and long noncoding RNAs in apicomplexan parasites such as Plasmodium falciparum. High throughput methods help identify pathways involved in parasite and host cell development. The group asks how RNA and chromatin regulation work and whether understanding those mechanisms could reveal new therapeutic approaches to parasitic disease.

DDIndependently curated · Unclaimed

Lo Lab

Mucosal immunologyM cellsImmune surveillance

David D. Lo · Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Sciences

The immune system needs ways to monitor the surfaces where microbes enter the body. Lo studies specialized M cells, which collect material at mucosal barriers and deliver it to the immune system. Research examines these cells in the intestine and airways, and has contributed to identifying related cells in the thymus. His broader air quality collaborations also investigate environmental exposure and lung health. These directions connect cellular immune surveillance with the biological consequences of inhaled particles and other environmental challenges.

MOIndependently curated · Unclaimed

Mihri Ozkan Research Group

Battery materialsEnergy storageSustainable materials

Mihri Ozkan · Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Could everyday waste and renewable feedstocks help supply materials for energy storage? Ozkan’s laboratory develops electrode materials, battery technologies, processing methods, and manufacturing approaches. Its work explores sources including discarded bottles, sand, and biomass as inputs for battery materials. Research connects the design of electrodes with the broader challenge of powering vehicles, electronics, and cities with lower emissions. This materials focused program brings electrical engineering together with energy storage development, investigating how unconventional raw materials and new processing ideas can contribute to useful battery systems.