Pronouns: she/her
Major: Chemistry
Title: Graduate Research Assistant/Graduate Teaching Assistant
Hobbies: Dance, Music, Writing, Travelling, Cooking, exploring new places
Research Description: As a first-year Ph.D. researcher, I’m pioneering a novel class of biocompatible, hybrid-lipid-coated nanoparticles tailored for precision imaging. By tuning size, shape, and metal core composition, I aim to amplify reflectance and backscattering—unlocking enhanced contrast for high-resolution Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT). My goal is to develop a targeted contrast agent for visualizing retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells post-transplantation, addressing a critical need in regenerative ophthalmology. Through sophisticated bioconjugation using amino acids, peptides, and antibodies, I’m advancing nanoparticle-cell specificity and uptake. This interdisciplinary project bridges nanomaterials design, surface chemistry, and biomedical optics—laying the groundwork for transformative tools in non-invasive retinal diagnostics, precision imaging, and targeted therapeutic delivery.
Email: dattau@oregonstate.edu