NEWS

2023

• We (Louisiana Tech, Alcorix Co, NeuroNexus) received a NIH/NINDS STTR Phase II funding for commercializing an Implantable Microarray Probe for Real-Time Glutamate and GABA Detection (https://www.latech.edu/2023/10/11/dr-prabhu-arumugam-earns-1-8-million-nih-grant-for-innovative-neuroscience-research/).

• A joint paper on "The effect of Pt and IrO2 interlayers on enhancing the adhesion of Ti/SnO2 interface: A first principles density functional theory study" was published in Applied Surface Science, Volume 639, 58248, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2023.158248. 

• We welcome our new PhD student Musefiu Yemi Adediji. He will research on the next generation neuro probes based on hydrogels.

• Our NSF funded work on the electrochemical redox cycling behavior of gold nanodes is published in Micromachines journal [https://doi.org/10.3390/mi14040726 ].

2022

• A $6 million research proposal titled “Facilitating Ubiquitous Technology Utilizing Resilient Eco-friendly Sensors” was funded by the National Science Foundation (https://nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2217824&HistoricalAwards=false). Louisiana Tech University will lead this multi-state, multi-university initiative along with researchers from Boise State University, Louisiana State University Shreveport, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and University of Alabama at Birmingham.  Arumugam group will lead the electrochemical sensor design, surface modification strategies and detection techniques’ development to detect heavy metals and pesticides in real-time in different surface water types.

• We received a Single-Investigator seed grant from NSF Louisiana Materials Design Alliance (LAMDA) program to research and develop a new anode electrode material capable of electrochemically degrading refractory contaminants.

• Our second silicon microprobe development work with Alcorix Co and LSU Shreveport is published in Micromachines journal [https://doi.org/10.3390/mi13071008].

• We welcome Mr. Rohit Boddu to our research group. He received a MS degree in Mechanical Engineering from Rowan University, New Jersey. He will work on advanced high-stability anodes for wastewater treatment.  

• Our collaborative work with LSU Shreveport is published in Journal of Electrochemical Society. We demonstrated the highest sensitivity for glutamate detection. An impedance model was developed to elucidate the changes to the electrochemically roughened platinum microelectrodes [https://doi.org/10.1149/1945-7111/ac5ad5].

2021

• Dr. Arumugam serves as the Guest Editor for a special issue titled "Progress in Electrochemical Sensors for Health and Environmental Monitoring" in Micromachines journal.

• Our collaborative silicon probe development work with Alcorix Co is published in Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical journal.

• Our collaborative work on engineering a micromolding-infiltration process for microfabrication of CNT chemical sensors for dopamine detection is published in Electrochimica Acta.

2020

• Our work on the development of microwire-based biosensor probes for simultaneous real-time measurement of glutamate and GABA dynamics in vitro and in vivo is published in Scientific Reports.

• Dr. Arumugam received a NASA LaSPACE REA award to research a highly multiplexed brain chemical probe for monitoring astronaut's health for long-term missions.
  
  

• Congrats to Imran Hossain for successfully defending his PhD dissertation project “ Development of a microarray biosensor for real-time and continuous measurement of neurochemicals.

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• Dr. Arumugam serves as the Guest Editor for a Special Issue entitled *Electrochemical Sensors for Neuroscience: Design, Fabrication and Performance* in Micromachines (ISSN 2072-666X, https://www.mdpi.com/journal/micromachines)

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• Our work on the optimization of glutamate microbiosensor array is now published in the Journal of The Electrochemical Society.

2019

• Dr. Arumugam received a NIH NINDS STTR Phase I funding to develop and commercialize an implantable brain chemical probe.

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• We welcome Sanjeev Billa to our research group. He will perform research in next generation 3D printed brain chemical sensor probes.

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• Dr. Arumugam received tenure and promotion to Associate Professor.

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• Congrats to Gelena Jones from Alabama State University for completing her REU NeuroNEM project in our lab.

• Congrats to Chao Tan for successfully defending his PhD dissertation project “Development of Amperometric Microbiosensors for Neurochemical Detection”.

• Our research group presented two oral talks and three poster presentations in 235th ECS Meeting in Dallas, TX.

• Congrats to Haocheng Yin for successfully defending his PhD dissertation project “Design, Microfabrication and Characterization of Concentric Gold Nanoring Electrode for Neurochemical Sensing”.

• Our first part of the work on micro fabrication and characterization of nanodes on micropillars was published in Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical. The article title is “Electrochemical Behavior of a Gold Nanoring Electrode Microfabricated on a Silicon Micropillar”.

• Congrats to Chao Tan for receiving the CBERS Outstanding PhD Research Award.

• Congrats to Natalie Mueller for securing graduate admission in Case Western Reserve University.

• Our group initiated a research collaboration with Dr. Paul Kim from Grambling State University. The research will be in the area of studying the effect of reactive oxygen species on inflammation and aging of different cell types.

• Our work on extending the diamond electrode’s useful time for chronic brain chemical detection was published in ACS Chemical Neuroscience. The article title is “Surface Fouling of Ultrananocrystalline Diamond Microelectrodes During Dopamine Detection: Improving Lifetime Via Electrochemical Cycling”.

• Our collaborate work with Drs. Murray and DeCoster in the development of a micro biosensor array for studying glutamate uptake in glioma was published in Biosensors and Bioelectronics. The article title is “An enzyme-based electrochemical biosensor probe with sensitivity to detect astrocytic versus glioma uptake of glutamate in real time in vitro”.

• Dr. Arumugam gave an invited talk in Grambling State University on “Advancing Electrochemical Microsensor Technologies for Multiplexed Real-Time Chemical Sensing”.

2018

• Our group developed a micro biosensor array for simultaneous detection of Glutamate and GABA in real-time for the first time. This research was published in Frontiers in Neuroscience. The article title is “A Novel Microbiosensor Microarray for Continuous ex Vivo Monitoring of Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid in Real-Time”.

• Dr. Arumugam received a seed grant from NSF CIMM to engineer a reliable ultrananocrystalline diamond electrode technology using 3D-printed titanium substrates.

• Congrats to Chao Tan for receiving the best graduate poster presentation award in the second NeuroNEM workshop at Louisiana Tech.

• An-Yi Chang presented his talk on “Improving the Lifetime of Ultrananocrystalline Diamond Microelectrodes for Dopamine Detection: Minimizing Surface Fouling Via Electrochemical Cycling” in the 12th International New Diamond and Nano Carbons Conference, Flagstaff, AZ, May 20-24.

• Congrats to Imran Hossain to receive the best poster presentation award in Graduate Student Research Symposium in Louisiana Academy of Sciences 92nd Annual Meeting, Alexandria, LA.

• Congrats to An-Yi Chang for successfully defending his PhD dissertation project on “Understanding the Surface Fouling Mechanism of Ultrananocrystalline Diamond Microelectrodes using Microfluidics for Neurochemical Detection”.

• We demonstrated enhanced dopamine sensitivity and selectivity by modifying diamond microelectrodes with nanometer thick carbon nanotube films. This work was published in two journals, Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical and Proceeding of SPIE. The article titles are “Detection of neurochemicals with enhanced sensitivity and selectivity via hybrid multiwall carbon nanotube-ultrananocrystalline diamond microelectrodes” and “The Fabrication and Characterization of Boron-Doped Ultrananocrystalline Diamond Microelectrodes Modified with Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes and Nafion”.

• Dr. Arumugam received the 2018 College of Engineering and Science (COES) Research and Economic Impact Award along with other NeuroNEM researchers.

• Our lab setup a demo for high school students in 2018 COES Day. We entertained 200+ students by teaching them how to detect vitamin C in apple juice!

• Dr. Arumugam received funding from COES to procure a mini potentiostat for undergraduate Nanosystems Engineering and Engineering Materials Labs. Two new lab modules were developed and implemented.

• Congrats to Gaurab Dutta for successfully defending his PhD dissertation project “Characterization of boron-doped ultrananocrystalline diamond microelectrodes for monitoring of neurochemicals”.

• Congrats to Katherine Magee from Clemson University for completing her REU NeuroNEM project in our lab.

• Dr. Arumugam served as a Co-PI with Dr. Scott Poh from chemistry program for receiving the NASA LURA undergraduate award for the project “Point of Care Detection of Radiation-induced oxidative stress using H2O2‑Responsive Electrochemical Probe”.

• Congrats to Nanosystems Engineering Senior Design Team, Lacie Duplessis, Daniel Alleman and Sanskar Dhungana, for their successful completion of the senior design project.

2017

• Dr. Arumugam received a NASA LASPACE Research Enhancement award to work on the development of a novel multiplexed electrochemical probe for brain aging biomarkers.

• Dr. Arumugam joined the Science Advisory Board of Innolyzer Labs, LLC.

• Chao Tan presented his talk on “Characterization of Multiwall Carbon Nanotube-Modified Ultrananocrystalline Diamond Microelectrodes for Enhanced Neurotransmitter Detection” in BMES Conference 2017, Phoenix, Oct 11-14.

• Our REU student Katie Skartvedt presented her research on “Assessment of the exclusion layer m-phenylenediamine for chronic glutamate microsensors in BMES Conference 2017, Phoenix, Oct 11-14.

• An-Yi Chang gave a talk on “Microfluidic and electrochemical assessment of boron-doped ultrananocrystalline diamond microelectrodes for chronic neurochemical sensing” in the 3rd International Conference on Smart Materials & Structures, March 20-22, Orlando, FL.

• Our research group presented one oral talk and three poster presentations in 231st ECS Meeting in New Orleans, LA.

• Gaurab Dutta gave a talk on “Boron-Doped Ultrananocrystalline Diamond Microelectrodes for Chronic Dopamine Monitoring in 231st The Electrochemical Society (ECS) Meeting, New Orleans, Feb 2-5.

• Congrats to Gaurab Dutta for receiving the travel grant to attend the 231st ECS meeting in New Orleans, LA.

• Drs. Arumugam and Scott Poh jointly received the BRF seed grant to work on a novel probe for aging biomarkers.

• Dr. Arumugam received a NASA LASPACE Research Enhancement award to work on the development of a novel multiplexed electrochemical probe for brain aging biomarkers.

• Dr. Arumugam became the Graduate Coordinator for the Mechanical Engineering program.

• Congrats to Katie Skartvedt from Hendrix College for completing her REU NeuroNEM project in our lab.

• Dr. Arumugam presided over a symposium and presented a talk on carbon nanomaterial-enabled microelectrodes for chronic neurochemical detection in PITTCON 2017, March 4-10, Chicago, USA.

2016

• Dr. Arumugam was awarded a 3-year research funding to develop a novel diamond nanode technology for highly multiplexed, multimodal biosensing of brain chemicals from National Science Foundation, Nano biosensing Program.

• Dr. Arumugam was part of the 4-year, $6M NSF EPSCoR funding of the Probing and Understanding the Brain: Micro and Macro Dynamics of Seizure and Memory Networks project. The lead PI is Dr. Leonidas Iasemidis from the Biomedical Engineering program.

• 2016-present: Member International Advisory Board, Materials Research Express Journal, an IOP publishing group. The

• Dr. Arumugam received the COES Research Award for a leadership role in transformative research at LA Tech.

• Dr. Arumugam gave an invited talk on “Carbon nanotube–nanocrystalline diamond hybrid electrodes: A route for development of a highly sensitive neurochemical microsensor” in PITTCON 2016, Atlanta, USA.

• Dr. Arumugam received a NASA TGEF travel grant to visit NASA Ames Research Center and study the integration of carbon nanotubes for next generation neurochemical microsensors.

• Congrats to Chao Tan for successfully defending his MS thesis on “Electrophoretic Deposition of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes on Boron Doped Ultra nanocrystalline Diamond Microelectrodes for Dopamine Sensing”.

• Our group studied the long-term electrochemical stability of ultrananocrystalline diamond in fast scan cyclic voltammetry mode and published the results in Materials Research Express. The article title is “Enabling long term monitoring of dopamine using dimensionally stable ultrananocrystalline diamond microelectrodes”.

• Our review paper on the application of nanocrystalline diamond for chemical sensing was published in IEEE Nanotechnology Magazine. The paper title is “Nanocrystalline diamond electrodes - Enabling electrochemical microsensing applications with high reliability and stability”.

• Congrats to Zana Hall from Grambling State University for completing her REU project in our lab.

• Dr. Arumugam received a NSF CIMM seed grant to work on “Evaluation of 3D-Printed Titanium Micropillars - Toward a Novel Electrochemical Nanoprobe Technology for Multi-Analyte Brain Sensing”.

• Congrats to Austin Robinson for receiving the NASA LURA undergraduate student award for “Characterization of a platinum-diamond hybrid electrochemical probe for single cell analysis”.

2015

• Dr. Arumugam received the Louisiana Board of Regents – Opportunities for Partnerships in Technology with Industry award on “Development of High Surface Area Nanocrystalline Diamond Electrodes: Towards Commercialization of a Highly Portable On-site Mixed Oxidant Generator for Oil-Contaminated Water”.

• Dr. Arumugam received the NASA - Small Equipment Grant to procure a large-zoom Nikon stereo microscope and a bipotentiostat for micro fabricating an integrated microfluidic-carbon nanotube electrochemical array probe.

• Our first paper from AMRL was published in Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry. The article title is "The effect of electrode size and surface heterogeneity on electrochemical properties of ultrananocrystalline diamond film microelectrode".

• Congrats to Nanosystems Engineering Senior Design Team, Jonathan Niemirowski, Yusuf Darrat, Kenneth Henry, for their successful completion of MEMbrain senior design project.

2014

• A journal paper on the fibrinogen adsorption studies on ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) film was published online in Physica Status Solidi A: Applications and Materials Science. The paper demonstrates the excellent biocompatibility and antithrombogenicity of UNCD surfaces and its potential use as an interfacial material for implantable devices.

• Dr. Arumugam received the COES funding to develop a metallography workstation for undergraduate material laboratory course MEEN 215.

• Dr. Arumugam received NASA–Research Enhancement Award to develop a multifunctional electrochemical nanoprobe based on vertically aligned carbon nanofibers for chemical and biomolecule sensing.

• We welcome graduate students Haocheng Yin and An-Yi Chang to our group.

• We received seed funding from NASA EPSCoR to develop carbon nanotube based multifunctional electrochemical probes for cell analysis.

• Our group received Research Competitive Support (RCS) funding from Louisiana Board of Regents to develop next generation diamond based microsensors for chronic monitoring of dopamine and other neurochemicals.