Research Team
Principal Investigator
Andrea K Locke, PhD
Office: ESB 638
Email: andrea.locke@vanderbilt.edu
Dr. Locke is Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Chemistry at Vanderbilt University. She received her BS and PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Texas A&M University. Dr. Locke received the Academic Pathways Fellowship award and completed her postdoctoral training at Vanderbilt Biophotonics Center. She is a member of SPIE and the National Society of Black Engineers. Her research interests include optical spectroscopy, biosensors, nanostructures, paperfluidics, and point-of-care diagnostic.
Current Lab Members
Postdoctoral Fellows
Alec Walter, PhD
PhD, Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University
MS, Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University
BS, Electrical Engineering, University of Arkansas
BS, Biology, University of Arkansas
Email: alec.b.walter@vanderbilt.edu
Research: Development and improvement of the analytical techniques used to obtain quantitative metrics from optical measurements; spectroscopic detection of bacterial infections; optical tissue phantom design
Graduate Students
Anna Rourke-Funderburg
Degree: Biomedical Engineering
Email: anna.s.rourke@vanderbilt.edu
Research: Culture-free detection of bacterial pathogens using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy
Huijin An
Degree: Interdisciplinary Materials Science
Email: huijin.an@vanderbilt.edu
Research: Flexible nanoplasmonic substrates for volatile organic compound sensing
Kauryn Datcher
Degree: Chemistry
Email: kauryn.a.datcher@vanderbilt.edu
Research: Conjugated aptamer-based nanoparticles for cytokine detection
Viannely Francisco
Degree: Biomedical Engineering
Email: viannely.a.francisco@vanderbilt.edu
Research: Analysis of bacteria found in the vaginal microbiome using surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy
Darby Heffer
Degree: Chemistry
Email: darby.c.heffer@vanderbilt.edu
Research: Development of an aptamer-based biosensor to detect lactate for women’s health applications
Madison Walker
Degree: Chemistry
Email: madison.l.walker@vanderbilt.edu
Research: Raman spectroscopy for non-invasive detection of eosinophilic esophagitis
Luke Whitehead
Degree: Biomedical Engineering
Email: luke.whitehead@vanderbilt.edu
Research: Characterization and Detection of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis with Raman Spectroscopy for Point of Care Diagnostics
Undergraduate Students
Sophia Juarez (SyBBURE Undergraduate Research Fellow)
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Research: Design of paper-based substrates for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy for bacteria detection
Kate Goncalves
Major: Molecular and Cellular Biology
Research: Investigation of Raman spectroscopy for biofluid analysis
Lab Alumni
TJ Yokley – Postdoctoral Research Fellow
- Research: Point of care diagnosis of tuberculosis using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy; nanoparticle synthesis
Layla Reejhsinghani – Undergraduate Research Assistant
- Research: In-line monitoring of yeast growth using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy
Jeremiah Johnson – Dual Bachelor’s/Master’s Research Assistant
- Research: Characterization of cellular secretions using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy
Sophia Pannullo – SyBBURE Undergraduate Research Fellow
- Research: Low-cost paper-fluidic point of care device for the detection of sickle cell anemia
Amelia Taylor – Postbaccalaureate Fellow
- Research: Developing a nanoplasmonic paperfluidic membrane for salivary biomarkers detection at the point-of-care