Dr. Hilary Lackritz Chemical & Materials Engineering San Jose State University One Washington Square Engineering 385F San Jose, CA 95192-0082 phone: 408-924-4096 fax: 408-924-4057 email: hilary.lackritz@sjsu.edu

Links to Classes

Spring 2005 MatE 241

Spring 2005 MatE 141

About Professor Lackritz

EDUCATION

BSE (Honors), Chemical Engineering Northwestern University 1985

Ph.D. Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, 1990

ACADEMIC PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

August 2002- current Lecturer/Adjunct Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, San Jose State University

1996-1998 Associate Professor, with tenure

1991-1996 Assistant Professor; School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana

· Research in optical materials development and characterization; photonics and telecom; Brought in over $2M in research grants

SELECTED Industrial Experience

· Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, Advanced Technology Center, Palo Alto, CA 2004-current Senior staff engineer

· Lightwave BioApplications, Cupertino, CA 2002-2005 Co-founder

Pre-funded biotechnology start-up with a business plan centered on improving the efficiency of drug discovery; tools and technology.

· ACLARA BioSciences, Mountain View, CA 1999-2002 Associate Director, Microtechnology and Materials

· Gemfire Corporation, Palo Alto, CA 1997-1999 Director, Materials

List of Publications and Presentations: Published Works

Research/Funding

NSF Advance Fellowship: Biosensors and Metrology (funded 4/04-4/07)

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) has long been known as a powerful analytical method capable of performing label-free assay detection. In fact, this method is known as the “gold standard” for performing direct protein-protein interaction studies. Commercial, research grade, low throughput instrumentation is available today for such work and others in the field are striving to achieve the performance attributes above with SPR. However, none have achieved nor appear capable of achieving sensitivity, throughput, and cost performance suitable for routine use as a robust, practical sensor. The goal of our work is to develop sensors that have not only these requirements, but the key additional features of trainability, use with organic or inorganic materials, and can serve as a paradigm for advanced "smart" sensors capable of improving their performance in the field.

This research fits immediately into high usage sensor bioassay application areas in toxic material identification. Additional impact areas will include drug discovery as well as unique high growth applications such as ligand fishing, direct measurement of interactions of target analytes with small molecules, and all classes of protein: protein interactions and protein-ligand interactions. Thus, this multi-functional sensor will leverage several key development applications in fields of interest to the United States.

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