Research
Yanik Lab — UC Santa Cruz
Overview
I work as an undergraduate researcher in the Yanik Lab at UC Santa Cruz, which focuses on optoelectronic biosensing platforms for clinical and environmental diagnostics. My role spans chip fabrication, signal delivery hardware, assay automation, and experimental data collection.
The core system we work toward is a label-free biosensor: a microfabricated chip that can detect the presence of specific antigens (proteins) through changes in optical or electrical signal, without requiring fluorescent tags or complex sample preparation.
Chip fabrication
I fabricate Ti/Au biosensor chips on glass substrates using a photolithography and lift-off process. The workflow includes:
- Substrate preparation and plasma cleaning
- Photoresist spin-coating and soft-baking
- UV exposure and development
- E-beam evaporation of Ti adhesion layer and Au sensing layer
- Lift-off in acetone to define electrode geometry
- Optical inspection and yield assessment
The chips are designed for surface functionalization — attaching biological recognition elements (antibodies, aptamers) that selectively bind target antigens.
Signal delivery hardware
Reliable and repeatable signal delivery is a precondition for meaningful biosensor measurements. I designed and built custom PCB hardware for automated signal delivery integrated into Opentrons-based assay workflows. This eliminated the need for manual bench equipment connections during experiments, reducing variability and increasing throughput.
See the Signal-Generation PCB project for full technical detail.
Automation and workflow
I built and maintained automated liquid-handling workflows using the Opentrons OT-2 pipetting robot. These workflows handle reagent dispensing, incubation timing, and wash steps for antigen detection assays. Automating these steps significantly reduces human error and allows parallel experimental runs.
Optoelectronic diagnostics
Part of the lab's work involves building imaging and optical measurement systems around the fabricated chips. I've supported imaging setups, sample handling jigs, and documentation pipelines for experimental results.