The Tripathi Laboratory
Scalable Bioengineering Solutions For Diagnostics and Life Sciences
Research Vision
The goal of our group is to innovate - design, create, and build new devices - to improve medical diagnosis. Our interdisciplinary work combines "microfluidic diagnostics" with other scientific and engineering methods.
Areas of Study
Single-cell diagnostics
Microfluidic pre-concentration
Electrokinetic characterization
Chemical separation and detection
Detection of dilute target analytes
DNA/RNA extraction from blood
Biosensor design and development
Tissue dissociation
Women's health
Immunoassays
Therapeutics
Projects
DNA and RNA extraction from a variety of starting biological samples
DNA and RNA extraction from biological samples is essential for diagnostic applications. Microfluidics present a way to simplify and scale down this process, even to the Point-of-Care (POC). We are developing innovative approaches to this extraction from tissues, blood, and plasma samples.
Next-Generation Sequencing Sample Preparation
The used of a modified, hyperactive Tn5 transposase integrates the first several steps of next-generation sequencing library preparation: fragmentation, end repair, and adapter ligation. Our innovative microfluidic chip can be adapted to either transposase-based or traditional library preparation chemistry.
Microfluidic Centrifugal Device (MCD)
Exploiting centrifugal forces on a liquid moving radially between two parallel plates, the path of single cells from a homogeneous cell suspension can be precisely monitored to direct the single cells towards compartmentalized traps. The device is also being adapted to capture CTC clusters from whole blood.
Utilization of electrokinetics in microfluidic chips
We are working on strategies that combine electrokinetic phenomenon with microfluidic chips to aid in DNA purification, separation of of molecules in samples, and more. This has been an important tool for many forms of sample preparation for molecular-based diagnostics.
Circulating Tumor Cell (CTC) isolation for non-invasive cancer detection
CTCs are cells found in the blood of patients affected with metastatic cancer, that have shed off primary tumors and have entered the circulation. Although found in extremely low counts, their detection can provide a non-invasive diagnostic option for cancer patients.
Novel microfluidic routes for disease detection and diagnostics
Our 3D printed microchip uses interfacial forces and magnetic beads to extract HIV viral RNA from patient samples without the need for electricity. This innovative approach to infectious disease diagnostics can be implemented in resource-limited settings.
Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing Strategies
Non-invasive prenatal testing is an important tool for detection of fetal complications with a lower cost and risk compared to invasive procedures. We are interested in developing new testing strategies based on cell free DNA and trophoblast analysis.
The bio-gripper
The Bio-Gripper is a novel technology designed for the application of tissue assembly. This fluid-actuated manipulator is able to grasp and lift millimeter-scale tissue constructs, transport them in a three-dimensional domain, and precisely place them at their target destination without deformation of the self-assembled tissue geometry.
Research Teams
The Tripathi Lab consists of multiple autonomously functioning research teams. These research teams explore a variety of different topics and depend on student interest. Current research teams as of 2023 are the Next-Generation Sequencing Assay Development Team, Microfluidics Discovery Team, Clinical Diagnostics and Automation Team, Immunoassay Development Team, and the Fluidic-Electronic Device Engineering Team.
Biopharmaceutical Assay Development Team
Jenna Rutberg (Team Lead)
Jenna Rutberg is a Ph.D. student in Biomedical Engineering from Massachusetts who joined the lab in Summer 2023. Her research currently focuses on the development of microfluidic assays for biopharmaceutical development.
Jenna’s work is conducted with the goal of helping patients through the creation of effective screening platforms and techniques to accelerate the drug discovery process.
Before joining the lab, Jenna completed her B.Sc. in Biomedical Engineering concentrated in Cell & Tissue Engineering and minoring in Psychology at Northeastern University. During her time at Northeastern University, she completed co-ops in the medical device and biopharmaceutical technology industries. Outside of the lab, Jenna likes to volunteer, explore Rhode Island, and test out new recipes for cooking & baking.
Maya Yonas
Maya Yonas is a junior from Alexandria, Virginia, concentrating in Health and Human Biology on the Pre-Med track. With a deep passion for public and global health, she is committed to advancing health equity and advocating for accessible healthcare for all. In the lab, Maya contributes to research on the biopharmaceutical assay development team.
Harshini Parakh
Harshini Parakh is a Biotechnology Graduate Student at Brown University, where she explores her research interests in biotechnology, molecular biology, and drug development. She is passionate about contributing to groundbreaking research that addresses unmet medical needs, with a focus on vaccine development, infectious diseases and biopharmaceutical drug discovery.
Sophia Esch
Sophia is a junior concentrating in Biomedical Engineering. She is interested in research related to antibody therapeutics, autoimmune disorders, and neurodegenerative disease. Outside the lab, she likes to workout, spend time with family, and explore new places.
Clinical Diagnostics and Automation Team
Ellse Mine M. Saint-Paul
(Team Lead)
Ellse Mine M. Saint-Paul is a master’s student from Cayes, South, Haiti. Her research focuses on organ-on-a-chip platform development and oncology applications for LC-MS/MS. She has her bachelor’s from Regis College in Biomedical Engineering, and she feels passionately about minority representation in STEM. Outside the lab, she enjoys cooking, traveling, and advocating for minorities in STEM.
Diagnostic Systems Design and Bioinformatics Team
Our team specializes in advancing diagnostic technologies through a multidisciplinary approach that integrates bioinformatics, device engineering, and assay development. We focus on designing and constructing devices for high-throughput diagnostics in proteomics and genomics, aiming to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of these critical analyses. Our expertise extends to developing assays that streamline automated workflows for diagnostic procedures, ensuring precision and reliability in clinical settings. Additionally, we conduct bioinformatics projects to support next-generation sequencing (NGS) and targeted sequencing efforts, providing valuable insights and solutions for complex genetic and proteomic data interpretation. Through these integrated efforts, we are committed to pushing the boundaries of diagnostic capabilities and contributing to advancements in decentralized personalized medicine.
Kathryn Whitehead (Team Lead)
Kathryn Whitehead is a first year biomedical engineering PhD student from New Jersey She is currently working on the development of automated devices for sequencing sample preparation and diagnostics. Prior to joining Brown, she obtained her bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park.
During her time at University of Maryland, she was involved in research developing exoskeleton robotic devices for rehabilitation post stroke. Her research interests lie in the intersection between mechanics and medical innovation, especially as it relates to the development of automated devices.
Julia Xia
is a sophomore from NYC concentrating in Computational Biology on the pre-med track. She is passionate about innovative ways to further inclusivity in medicine. In the lab, she has been working on bioinformatics pipelines, and exploring its possible applications in diagnostic tools.
Nina Li
is a junior from California concentrating in Biomedical Engineering. She is passionate about creative design. In the lab, her projects have focused on developing a microfluidic purity assessment method for mRNA vaccines and understanding the electrophoretic mobility of long nucleic acids.
Stephanie DaCruz
is a 2023 Brown alum in Computer Science. Her work on the team focuses on developing back-end software and front-end UI for bioinformatics transformation processes. In her free time, Stephanie enjoys art and playing with her cat Twilight.
As well as our undergraduates Trinity and Kelly Park!
Immunoassay Development Team
Jennifer Pollock
is a 1st year PhD student in Biomedical Engineering from California who joined the lab in fall 2022. Her research is focused on developing ultra-sensitive immunoassay tests for the detection of disease biomarkers for clinical and research applications. More specifically, her work includes optimizing antibody coated bead capture efficiencies and qPCR signal amplification. Jennifer is interested in investigating how these ultra-sensitive tests can be used to diagnose and monitor the early stages of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. Before coming to Brown University, Jennifer completed her undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering at UC Santa Barbara (2022). In her free time, she enjoys hiking, baking, and kickboxing.
Everett Gutterman-Johns
is a sophomore concentrating in Neuroscience on the PreMed track. Since joining the lab, he has helped develop a method to analyze the lipid and nucleic acid loads of LNPs. As part of this work, he explored how different fluoro phores could interact with the lipid layer.
Julia Miller
Julia is a first-year biomedical engineering PhD student from Seattle who joined the lab in the summer of 2024. She graduated in 2022 with a B.S. in biomedical engineering from Washington University in St. Louis, then spent time as a research engineer at a medical cyclotron before coming to Brown. She is interested in developing high-sensitivity diagnostic tests and assay automation. In her free time, she enjoys game nights, hiking, and birdwatching.
Next-Generation Sequencing Assay Development Team
The Assay Development Team engineers automated NGS sample preparation assays for the Bio Qule NGS system, incorporating a variety of starting samples and nucleic acid fragmentation methods, and are expanding their expertise to sequencing, sequencing instrumentation, and RNA-Seg. Their work focuses on the biochemical and biomolecular fundamentals of NGS sample preparation and sequencing technology for clinically relevant applications such as epigenomics and gene expression analysis.
Dulguunnaran Naranbat
is from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia and received his Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from Trinity College, Hartford CT in 2019. Duuluu joined the Tripathi lab in 2020 and his research focus is infectious diseases diagnostics, genetic sequencing, laboratory automation, and bacterial decontamination.
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Khulan Unurbuyan (Hulana)
is from Mongolia and went to the Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences for her undergraduate degree and master’s degree in biomedical research. She used to work on cell cultures at the Institute of Medical Sciences in Mongolia. Hulana is a visiting researcher in the Tripathi lab at Brown. She is currently working on assay development for the NGS library preparation using the Bioqule NGS system. She focuses on assay quality control, validation, data collection and analysis.
Sabrina Tolppi
is a sophomore from Connecticut pursving her Sc.B. in Biomedical Engineering. Her work focuses on the engineering of reaction chemistries for assay automation platforms. She explores the interface between mechanical, chemical, and biological elements of assays while considering viability in clinical, research, and commercial settings.
Kathryn Whitehead
is a biomedical engineering PhD student from New Jersey She is currently working on the development of automated devices for sequencing sample preparation and diagnostics. Prior to joining Brown, she obtained her bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park.
Khaliun Myagmar (Haku)
is a visiting researcher from Mongolia . She completed her bachelor's and master's degrees in Biomedical science in her home country. In the Tripathi lab, she has been focusing on next-generation sequencing library preparation and automation, DNA & RNA extraction, PCR & molecular biology techniques. She focuses on assay quality control, validation, data collection and analysis.
Cell and Tissue Devices Team
The Cell and Tissue Devices Team works on advancements in cell and tissue analysis, focusing on developing a tissue dissociation device that fully automates the separation of tissue samples and organoids into purified single-cell suspensions. Applications for these single cells include bulk/single-cell DNA/RNA sequencing, enabling in-depth exploration of cellular genetics and molecular makeup. Additionally, the team optimizes workflows for microtissue and organoid culture, and investigates their diagnostic applications, aiming to enhance disease detection and characterization. Our cutting-edge research hopes to drive forward the frontiers of cell and tissue analysis, offering insights with far-reaching implications for regenerative medicine, personalized healthcare, and disease diagnosis and treatment.
Sarah Planchak (Team Lead)
received her Master's in Bioengineering, specializing in Tissue Engineering and Biomaterials, from the University of Sheffield in the UK, where she grew up. She joined the Tripathi Lab in the fall of 2023 and began working on a tissue dissociation device for single cell sequencing and analysis. Sarah is interested in cell, tissue, and gene therapies, and tissue engineering/ organ regeneration particularly in the cardiovascular field.
Alejandra (Ale) Hernandez Moyers
is a sophomore studying Biomedical Engineering. She is working in optimizing the tissue dissociation device and has begun engaging in organoid development. Ale is from Mexico, enjoys doing acrobatics, and pipetting.
Mehmet Topal
a sophomore studying Computer Engineering, who has recently joined the Tripathi Lab.