Abstract - Nanostructured materials offer tremendous opportunities for engineering advanced device components for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Nanoporous gold (np-Au), produced by a nano-scale self-assembly process, is a relatively new material and has mostly attracted attention for catalyst applications due to its high effective surface area, electrical conductivity, and ease of surface functionalization. Surprisingly, the biomedical potential of this material has remained largely untapped. I will first discuss our research efforts to control nano-/micro-scale properties of np-Au and the application of micropatterning techniques for fabricating high-sensitivity multiple electrode arrays for neural electrophysiology studies. In the context of biocompatibility of such devices, I will illustrate how tunable properties of np-Au may be utilized to alleviate adverse biological response to device coatings. To that end, I will specifically focus on np- Au’s drug delivery performance and its interaction with neural tissue as a function of its geometric features and surface chemistry. In another example, I will illustrate np-Au’s diagnostic potential in detecting and purifying nucleic acid biomarkers in complex biological samples. I will conclude the talk with our ongoing efforts toward constructing highthroughput material screening platforms for identifying optimal material properties for emerging applications of np-Au.

Dr. Erkin Seker received his PhD degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Virginia (UVA) in 2007. Following postdoctoral positions in Chemistry at UVA and Bioengineering at Center for Engineering in Medicine at Harvard Medical School, he joined the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at UC Davis in 2011. As an Associate Professor, he is leading the interdisciplinary Multifunctional Nanoporous Metals research group with the overarching goal of understanding and controlling nanostructured material properties and their interaction with biological systems to develop novel biomedical tools. He is the recipient of Fund for Medical Discovery Award from Massachusetts General Hospital, a University of California Lab Fees Research Grant, and a NSF CAREER Award. He served as an Associate Scientific Advisor for Science Translational Medicine journal, was invited to participate in National Academy of Engineering’s Annual Frontiers of Engineering Education Symposium, and was selected as a BMES Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering Young Innovator of 2016.

Abstract - Vernier Tuned Distributed Bragg Reflector Lasers (VTDBR) allow for very fast tuning of laser wavelength without moving parts. These lasers are ideally suited for FMCW Lidar applications. This talk will cover the theory of operation for VTDBR lasers and then show how they can be configured for Lidar sensing applications. Example block diagrams and measurement results will be shown.

Dr. Dennis Derickson received his BS, MS and Ph.D. in electrical engineering from South Dakota State University (1981), the University of Wisconsin- Madison (1982) and the University of California – Santa Barbara in 1992. His farming background and youth ham radio hobby heavily influenced his career in engineering. He joined the research and development laboratories of Hewlett Packard (HP) in Santa Rosa, CA in 1982. 1980‘s project development activities included spectrum analyzer and network analyzer electronic measurement instrumentation. His Ph.D. work (1988-1992) involved design, fabrication and test of single-chip pulsed semiconductor lasers for data communication applications. Dr. Derickson managed multiple project teams at HP for highspeed communication test systems in the 1990s. He moved into the director of product marketing role at a start-up company called Cierra Photonics in Santa Rosa, CA in 2000. After 16 years in industry, he joined the Electrical Engineering Department at California Polytechnic State University in 2005 and has been department chair since 2010. Research activities have focused on biomedical applications of semiconductor lasers and wireless communication systems. His outreach activities have focused on running summer science camps and robotics programs for Jr. High and Sr. High groups. As department chair, he has focused on Industry/Alumni/Partner outreach, entrepreneurship, enabling a project-rich hands-on environment for diverse students, and supporting a strong graduate program.