6 young ASU faculty earn NSF Car...( TEMPE Ariz. Six Arizona State Unive...)

TEMPE, Ariz. Six Arizona State University faculty members have earned Faculty Early Career Development (Career) awards for 2009 from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

The Career program is a NSF-wide activity that is one of the most prestigious awards in support of junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research within the context of the mission of their organizations. It provides five-year research grants to each recipient.

This year's ASU Career Award winners are Junseok Chae, assistant professor of electrical engineering; Yi Chen, assistant professor of computer science and engineering; Hanqing Jiang, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering; Baoxin Li, assistant professor of computer science and engineering; Henry Sodano, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering; and Arjan van der Vaart, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry

The Career Awards will help support each winner's research projects and education efforts. Here are descriptions of each.

Better biosensors based on nature

Junseok Chae is tackling fundamental questions about the use of molecular probes in biosensors. With such knowledge he will explore ways to construct microscale components in instruments for biological testing and research.

Chae will do this by using MEMS (micro-electromechanical systems) technology. MEMS are extremely tiny machines typically made of components 1 to 100 micrometers in size. Chae uses a natural phenomenon to assemble his MEMS devices, based on the way proteins with low molecular weight are adsorbed (how substances condense on a surface) and displaced and exchanged by proteins with higher molecular weight.

Biosensors typically use molecular probes such as DNA, RNA, enzymes and antibodies to capture specific molecules. These probes offer selecti
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