Kamal directs the QUEST (QUantum Engineering Science and Technology) group, developing theory for quantum-limited readout of superconducting circuits: nonreciprocal parametric (Josephson-junction) amplifiers, left-handed-metamaterial traveling-wave amplifiers, and autonomous entanglement stabilization/error-correction protocols. Her work sets the fundamental noise limits that superconducting-qubit-based quantum sensors and quantum computers can approach, in close collaboration with experimental groups at NIST Boulder and elsewhere. The group is actively recruiting postdoctoral scholars.

Kelley designs nanostructured electrochemical biosensors -- including antifouling 'spiky' nanoelectrodes -- for amplification-free, point-of-care detection of nucleic acids and proteins (e.g. bacterial mRNA), aiming to replace slow, lab-based amplification assays with rapid electronic diagnostics deployable at the bedside.

The Kovachy Group applies quantum wave properties of ultracold atoms to precision sensing. Primary focus: (1) Advanced large-momentum-transfer (LMT) atom interferometer pulse sequences using Bragg diffraction and Bloch oscillations to achieve record momentum splits of 100s of ℏk, enhancing sensitivity for fundamental physics tests; (2) MAGIS-100 collaboration — the 100 m-tall atom interferometer at Fermilab targeting gravitational waves in the mid-band complementary to LIGO/LISA, dark matter field searches, and tests of quantum mechanics at macroscopic scales; (3) Search for deviations from Newtonian gravity at micrometer range using atom-interferometric force sensing, and a new measurement of Newton's gravitational constant G; (4) Cryogenic optical cavity dark matter search (with Gabrielse and Geraci groups). David and Lucile Packard Fellow (2020), Paul Ehrenfest Best Paper Award 2020, NIST Precision Measurement Grant 2019. Member of CFP Northwestern and CIERA.

Prof. Kozorovitskiy (Neurobiology) studies neuromodulation and plasticity in the striatum and basal ganglia, with a distinctive emphasis on developing and applying advanced optical imaging methods. Imaging technique innovations: (1) Oblique plane illumination (OPI / scanned oblique plane illumination, SOPi) microscopy — a single-objective light-sheet technique achieving tilt-invariant volumetric imaging for rapid 3D capture of fluorescently labeled neural structures without mechanical tilting; (2) Two-photon fluorescence imaging and two-photon glutamate/neuromodulator photorelease for single-synapse resolution in live tissue; (3) Near-infrared genetically-encoded calcium indicators (with Verkhusha group) for in vivo multi-color neural recording with reduced photobleaching. The lab's technical contributions are centered on extending the spatial and volumetric resolution of live-tissue fluorescence imaging. Irving M. Klotz Research Professor of Neurobiology; Beckman Young Investigator 2015.

Prof. Kumar's group spans classical and quantum optics across three inter-related areas: (1) Quantum Fiber Optics — generation and distribution of entanglement (photon-pair, multi-photon) over fiber networks, quantum key distribution, and first-ever quantum teleportation over active internet-carrying fiber; (2) Nonlinear Quantum Optics — squeezed light and twin-beam (two-mode squeezed) state generation via fiber-based four-wave mixing and χ⁽²⁾ processes, with applications to sub-shot-noise interferometry, quantum-enhanced imaging, and quantum communication; (3) Photon-entanglement-enhanced precision measurement and optical communications. AT&T Professor of Information Technology; INQUIRE Executive Committee member.

Marko's lab applies statistical mechanics and single-molecule micromanipulation -- principally magnetic tweezers -- to chromosome structure and DNA-protein interactions, studying how condensin, topoisomerases, and other nucleoid-associated proteins organize and mechanically stabilize chromatin and mitotic chromosomes in vivo and in vitro. The group combines force spectroscopy with fluorescence microscopy to resolve single-DNA and single-chromosome mechanics at the piconewton scale.

Meade designs bioinorganic coordination complexes and nanoparticle- and genetically-encoded contrast agents that act as activatable molecular MRI sensors, reporting on enzyme activity, gene expression, and neurochemistry in living tissue, alongside electronic biosensors and transcription-factor inhibitors for molecular imaging and diagnostics.

Mirkin invented spherical nucleic acids (SNAs) -- gold nanoparticles densely coated with a radial shell of oligonucleotides -- and their 'nanoflare' derivatives, which enter live cells without transfection agents and light up sequence-specifically upon binding intracellular mRNA, enabling live-cell gene-expression biosensing, circulating-tumor-cell isolation, and simultaneous mRNA detection/regulation. This label-based intracellular biosensing platform is offered as a borderline but well-established inclusion under the biosensing/dye-based imaging criterion.

Prof. Mohseni's group (Bio-inspired Sensors and Optoelectronics) pushes III-V semiconductor photodetector technology toward thermodynamic and quantum limits of photon sensitivity. Key directions: (1) Nanoscale IR photodetectors: shrinking pixel dimensions below the diffraction limit using quantum confinement effects (InGaAs/InAlAs quantum well and dot structures) to improve sensitivity, bandwidth, and resolution simultaneously; (2) Superlattice photomultipliers — high-gain, low-noise avalanche photodetectors at room temperature approaching quantum-limited sensitivity for mid-wave and long-wave infrared detection; (3) Quantum sensing applications including squeezed-light-enhanced thermoreflectance imaging of electronic hotspots, and photon-counting receivers for quantum communications. Co-author on 275+ papers, 33+ US patents; NAI Fellow 2023; W.M. Keck Foundation Award, DARPA YFA, NSF CAREER. Fellow of SPIE and Optica. Also Professor of Physics and Astronomy.

The Odom Group studies trapped molecular ions at millikelvin temperatures using radio-frequency ion traps. Key directions: (1) Controlled preparation and single-quantum-state readout of trapped molecular ions (e.g., AlH⁺, SiO⁺, N₂⁺) — combining laser cooling, blackbody-radiation-assisted state preparation, and fluorescence detection for single-molecule precision spectroscopy; (2) Search for time-variation of fundamental constants (electron-to-proton mass ratio, fine structure constant α) using molecular vibrational/rotational transitions as highly sensitive probes; (3) Quantum effects in sub-Kelvin chemistry — probing tunneling, orbiting resonances, and quantum state control of reactive collisions between cold molecules. Member of CFP Northwestern.