Biotechnology

Targeting Individual and Industrial Health

SJSU faculty create interventions aimed at the full spectrum of serious illness, from cardiovascular disease to preterm infant lactation issues. This requires significant research infrastructure, from understanding fluid flow patterns to physical improvement of materials for better integration with host tissue.

Our biochemical engineers synthesize antioxidants and antivenom peptides in bacteria and yeast, and develop tools to identify therapeutic genes. Targeting both industrial and clinical applications, diagnostic researchers develop rapid, robust, and inexpensive biosensors for pathogen screening and disease detection, identifying contamination, biofilms, abnormal cells, and blood-based biomarkers.

All of the above is done in close collaboration with medical faculty, entrepreneurs, biomechanical engineers in the Bay Area. Below is a rotating selection of our standout investigators in these areas.

   ○ Recent News and Highlights
   ○ Related Strength: Drug Discovery
   ○ Related Strength: Biomedical Engineering

• Selected Publications

  • Lew, C., et al. (2023). Use of Borosilicate Seeds to Synthesize Aluminosilicate SSZ-82, a Zeolite Containing Intersecting 12- and 10-Membered Ring Channels. Chemistry of Materials, 35(15).

    Sass, G, Miller Conrad, L. C., Nguyen, T.-T. H., & Stevens, D. A. (2020). The Pseudomonas aeruginosa product pyochelin interferes with Trypanosoma cruzi infection and multiplication in vitro. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 114(7).

    Ouverney, C. C. (2016). Assessment of prokaryotic biological activity at the single cell level by combining microautoradiography and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). In Manual of Environmental Microbiology, Fourth Edition.

    Sobsey, M., Khatib, L., Hill, V., Alocilja, E., & Pillai, S. (2006). Pathogens in Animal Wastes and the Impacts of Waste Management Practices on Their Survival, Transport and Fate. Animal Agriculture and the Environment.

    Switz, N., D'Ambrosio, M., & Fletcher, D. (2014). Low-cost mobile phone microscopy with a reversed mobile phone camera lens. PLoS ONE, 9(5).

    Feinberg, E., VanHoven, M., Bendesky, A., et al., (2008). GFP Reconstitution Across Synaptic Partners (GRASP) Defines Cell Contacts and Synapses in Living Nervous Systems. Neuron 57(3).

• Award Highlights

  • Miller Conrad, “Blocking cationic antimicrobial peptide-resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa” — NIH, 2016

    Ouverney, “MARC U*STAR at San José State University” — Department of Health & Human Services, 2020

    Ramasubramanian A., Lee, S.J., Lee, W., "Thrombosis in Microgravity" — NASA, 2020

    Ramasubramanian, “Blood-Based Biomarkers for Chronic Fatigue” Syndrome — Open Medicine Foundation, 2021

    Singmaster, Ouverney, Rascon, “San José State University Rise Program” — Department of Health & Human Services, 2019

• Innovations

  • Droplet Array for Single-Cell Analysis
    A method of conducting single-cell analysis.

    Smart Breast Pump
    A smart robotic breast pump that integrates self-adjusting compression and vacuum pressures, along with a temperature control system.

    Antibiotic Adjuvants for Gram Negative Bacteria
    U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/351,737

    Antibacterial Adjuvants and Applications Thereof
    International Patent Application No. WO 2022/036208

    Retinal Cellscope Apparatus
    US Patent No. US 11,129,532

    High Numerical Aperture Telemicroscopy Apparatus
    US Patent No. US 10,989,907 

    Optical Lens System And Method For Microfluidic Devices
    US Patent No. US 10,745,748 

• Affiliates

  • CSUBIOTECH

    CSU STEM-​NET

Featured Faculty

Marc D'Alarcao
Dean, College of Graduate Studies
Biochemistry; Organic, Medicinal, and General chemistry; Bioengineering, Synthesis
ORCID: 0000-0003-2057-4557

Sheryl Ehrman
Dean, Davidson College of Engineering
Aerosol Science and Technology, Particle Technology, Air Pollution
ORCID: 0000-0002-7925-0568

Leila Khatib
Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences
Water, Wastewater, Recycled Water and Viral Detection Methods
ORCID: 0000-0002-6382-5291

Christopher Lew
Assistant Professor Chemical and Materials Engineering
Zeolites, Nanoporous Materials, Catalysis, Sustainable Chemicals, Environmental Remediation
ORCID: 0000-0003-4568-4461

Laura Miller Conrad
Associate Professor of Chemistry
Chemical Biology, Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Antibiotics, Gram-Negative Bacteria, Quorum Sensing
ORCID: 0000-0003-0937-5362

Cleber Ouverney
Professor of Biological Sciences
Candidate Division TM7, Uncultured Bacteria, Genetic Diversity, Microbial Communities
ORCID: 0000-0002-4135-7562

Anand Ramasubramanian
Professor of Chemical and Materials Engineering
Platelets, Mechanobiology, Blood Clot, Transfusion, High-Throughput Assay, ME/CFS
ORCID: 0000-0002-7057-8663

Neil A. Switz
Professor of Physics
Diagnostics, Optics, Microscopy, Fluorescence, Cellphone, Mobile Phone, Tuberculosis, Loa, Lymphatic Filariasis, Onchocerciasis, Point of Care, Retinal
ORCID: 0000-0002-3639-4588

Miri VanHoven
Associate Dean for Research, College of Science
Neural Circuit Formation, Learning, Memory, Sleep
ORCID: 0000-0001-7714-1555

Potential collaborators and members of the media may contact us at officeofresearch@sjsu.edu.