Principal Investigator
Ulas Sunar, Ph.D. (ulas.sunar-AT-stonybrook.edu). Dr. Sunar is a SUNY Empire Innovation Professor in the Dept. of Biomedical Engineering at Stony Brook University-SUNY. He earned his Ph.D. degree in the Dept of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, in the research area of diffuse optical imaging. For his Ph.D. studies, Dr. Sunar worked with Dr. Arjun G. Yodh and Dr. Britton Chance among the leading experts in diffuse optical imaging and functional near-infrared spectroscopy.
B.S., M.S., Physics, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkiye
Researchers (Research Scientists, Postdocs)
Irfaan Dar, Ph.D. , Postdoc (irfaan.dar@stonybrook.edu). Irfaan completed his PhD at the University of Rochester under mentorship of Dr. Choe. His focus is on blood flow monitoring using optical techniques and signal processing. Main research interests: DCS, SCOS, blood flow.
Semra Aygun, Ph.D. , Research Scientist. Semra completed her Ph.D. at the University of Pennsylvania under the mentorship of Dr. Daldal, through a joint program with Uludağ University, Türkiye.
Main research interests: In vivo and in vitro cancer tumor models, especially ovarian cancer micrometastasis models. Cell and molecular biology analysis, and immunological techniques and biomarkers to complement imaging biomarkers.
Graduate Students
Eli Kluiszo, Ph.D. Student. Eli has completed his B.S. degree in Biomedical Engineering (BME) at the Illinois Institute of Technology. Eli’s research focus is on Spatial Frequency Domain Imaging (SFDI) for the detection and monitoring of ovarian cancer therapy. Main research interests: SFDI instrumentation and analysis of optical parameters and fluorescence.
Rasel Ahmmed, Ph.D. Student (rasel.ahmmed@stonybrook.edu).
Rasel has completed his B.S. & M.S. degrees from Khulna University of Engineering & Technology (KUET), Khulna, Bangladesh. His research focus is on Spatial Frequency Domain Imaging (SFDI) for the detection and monitoring of ovarian cancer therapy.
Main research interests: SFDI instrumentation and analysis of optical parameters and fluorescence. For more details: https://you.stonybrook.edu/raselahmmed/
Sahar Sabaghian, Ph.D. Student (sahar.sabaghian@stonybrook.edu).
Sahar has completed her B.S. & M.S. degrees at IRAN University of Science and Technology( IUST) in Computer Software Engineering, with a specialization in artificial intelligence, medical image, and signal processing. She is working on developing techniques for depth-sensitive optical blood-flow changes in the human brain.
Main research interests: Signal Processing, Image Processing, Time-gated Diffuse Correlation Spectroscopy. For more details: https://you.stonybrook.edu/saharsabaghian/
Chris Moore, M.D./Ph.D. Student (christopher.h.moore@stonybrook.edu)
Chris has completed his B.S. degree in BME at Stony Brook. He is working on trauma monitoring using blood flow changes in the human brain by using optical methods.
Main research interests: Signal Processing, FPGA, DCS, SPAD.
Undergraduate Students
Berna Aliu, BME
Main research interests: Cancer tumor models. Performing and characterizing cancer cell lines (especially ovarian cancer cell lines) grown in 2D and 3D embedded cultures to support our imaging experiments.
Past Researchers / Students
Carsi Kim, BS, BME (2024-2025)
Luigi Belcatro, Ph.D., BME (2024-2025)
Hyejin Lee, BS, BME (2024)
Diana Russo, BS BME/ME Student, SUNY SOAR Summer Program Student (2024)
Hailey Allen, St. Anthony’s High School in South Huntington, NY, Summer Student (2024)
Justin Jones, Long Island School for the Gifted, Huntington South, NY, Summer Student (2023)
Chih-Hua Chang, MS EE Student (2023-2024), Lab Engineer
Dhar Langri, M.S., Ph.D. (2017-2019), (2019-2023), Engineer@ Thorlabs
Chien Poon, M.S., Ph.D. (2015-2017), (2017-2021), Engineer @ EagleView
Ben Rinehart, Ph.D. (2017-2021), Engineer @ Leidos
Andrea Gomez, M.S. (2019-2021), Production Assistant @Bristol
Alex Bergen, B.S. (2019-2020)
Aytac Demirkiran, Ph.D., Postdoc (2018-2020), Engineer @ TUBITAK
Tamer Abdelrahim, Ph.D., Postdoc (2018-2020), Postdoc @ U of Minnesota
Hemal Dave, M.S. (2018-2020), Engineer @ DC/NIOSH
Alec Petrac, M.S. (2018-2020), Engineer @ ERT
Emma Buck, MS (2019-2020), Res Assist @ Cincinnati Children
Chris Davies, M.S., WSU (2018-19), Res Engineer @SRK UK
Dan Rohrbach, Ph.D., Research Scientist, (2009-2014), (2015-2018), Eng @ Agilent Tech & Adjunct Fac @Champlain U
Jun Li, PhD., Postdoc (2016-2018), Faculty @ South China Normal Univ.
Jeremy Kress, M.S., Research Scientist, (2014-18), Software Developer @ San Francisco Bay
Milan Patel, M.S., Engineer @ Rivian
Ernest Mitchel, B.S., WSU (2017-18), Engineer Asst @AFRL
Remona Heenkenda, M.S., WSU (2016-18), PhD student @UDayton
Aaron Madaris, M.S., WSU (2016-2017), Engineer @ GE Aerospace
Syed Anwar Hyder Zaidi, M.S., WSU (2015-2017), Engineer @ Illumina
Zahra Meghjani, M.S., WSU (2015-2017), Engineer @ Illumina
John Armstrong, B.S., SUNY-Buffalo (2015)
Hathaitorn Rojnirun, B.S., SUNY-Buffalo (2014), Research Assist @ Cornell
Robert Simion, Ph.D. (2013-14), Senior Soft Developer @ London Stock Exch Group
Mehmet Aksahin, Ph.D. (2013), Faculty @ Gazi Univ.
Hakeem Salem, City Honor High School (2012-14), PhD student CS @ MIT
Andrew Kowalczewski, B.S. Physics (2012), Grad Res. Assoc. @ Syracuse U
Jennifer Walker, B.S., Buffalo State College (2012)
Ruby Goldberg, New York City High School (2012)
Matthew Jehrio, Williamsville High School (2012)
Robert Stricko III, Williamsville High School (2012)
Sangheon Park, M.S., Physics, SUNY-Buffalo (2012)
Weirong Mo, Ph.D.,Postdoc (2009-2011), Senior Biomedical Engineer @ Rockley Photonics
Steven Torrisi, Summer Student (2011), PhD Physics @ Harvard , Postdoc at Toyota
Ed Hu, Summer Student (2011)Alyssia Brown, M.S.,Summer Student (2011)
Scott Galas, M.S.,SUNY-Buffalo (2011)
Theresa Sands, M.S., RPCI-Dermatology (2011)
Cem Turgut, M.S., Visiting Scholar, Bilkent Univ, Turkey (2010)
Intae Lee, Ph.D.,Research Scientist, U.Minnesota (2010)
Zhiqiang Xu, Ph.D., Postdoc, Ecole Polytech, Montreal, (2009)
Dan Muffaletto, M.S., SUNY-Buffalo (2008-09), Development Systems Eng at Moog Inc.
Chris Mahrer, M.S., U.Rochester, (2009)
Gretchen Bauer, U.Rochester, (2009)