Dr. Christopher Vanderwal's lab focuses on developing new treatments for malaria and babesiosis, both caused by parasites. The lab investigates a compound derived from leelamine that shows promise against these diseases. The goal is to create effective drugs that can combat resistant strains of the parasites and assess their safety and mechanisms of action.

The lab of Eric Olaf Potma at UC Irvine focuses on developing advanced biosensing techniques that allow for the rapid detection of individual molecules without the need for labels. By combining innovative optical methods with engineered nanostructures, the research aims to enhance the speed and specificity of molecular identification, particularly in DNA analysis. This work has the potential to revolutionize fields such as genomics and diagnostics by enabling quicker and more accurate assessments of genetic material.

Dr. Jennifer Prescher's lab at UC Irvine focuses on groundbreaking technologies to visualize RNA in real time within living cells. By developing tiny RNA tags that can work with split luciferases, her team aims to tackle key questions about RNA dynamics, which are crucial for understanding various biological processes like memory and immune functions. Their innovative imaging methods will help track RNA behavior continuously and provide insights necessary for advancing health-related research.