Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering

Research Areas

Sensor Systems

Research Interests

Advanced Sensor Systems to Support Smart Chemical Engineering                               

Our team aims to tackle the challenges in conventional process analytics, diagnostics, and therapeutics by combining sensor engineering and nanotechnology. As sensor scientists, our mission is to bridge the significant gap between existing biological and chemical sensor systems and multiscale real-world monitoring. Our ultimate goal is to develop innovative analytical systems that enhance smart chemical production and promote a healthy society driven by big data.

To fulfill these objectives, we explore scientific questions about which optoelectronic materials,
instrumental interfaces, and AI software can be combined into a powerful sensor system. Our research covers all elements of a sensor system, including molecular recognition design, signal transduction modeling, hardware interfacing, and AI-based data  analytics. Representative targets of our developed sensor system are listed below.
  (i)  Sensor Systems for Process Analytical Technology (PAT): AI-Integrated Online Molecular Profiling System

  (ii)  Sensor Systems for Smart Diagnostics: Artificial Molecular Recognition Design to Accelerate Development Time

(iii) Sensor Systems for Precision Medicine: Label-Free and Multivariate Monitoring of Cells and Their Molecular Products

Selected Publications

1. Cho et al., “Antibody-Free Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Proteins Using Corona Phase Molecular Recognition to Accelerate Development Time” Analytical Chemistry 2021, 93, 14685-14693
2. Cho et al., “Nanosensor Chemical Cytometry for Characterizing the Efflux Heterogeneity of Nitric Oxide from Macrophages” ACS Nano 2021, 15, 13683-13691
3. Cho et al., “Cellular Lensing and Near Infrared Fluorescent Nanosensor Arrays to Enable Chemical Efflux Cytometry”, Nature Communications 2021, 12, 3079
4. Cho et al., “A Fiber Optic Interface Coupled to Nanosensors: Applications to Protein Aggregation and Organic Molecule Quantification” ACS Nano 2020, 14, 10141-10152
5. Cho et al., “Multi-Array Nanopattern Electronic-Nose (E-Nose) by High-Resolution Top-Down Nanolithography” Advanced Functional Materials 2020, 30, 2002486
6. Cho et al., “Continuous Meter-scale Synthesis of Weavable Tunicate Cellulose/Carbon Nanotube Fibers for High-Performance Wearable Sensors”, ACS Nano 2019, 138, 9332-9341
7. Cho et al., “Ultra-sensitive VOCs Detection of High-Resolution CuO/Cu2O/Ag Nanopattern Sensor”, Advanced Functional Materials 2019, 29, 1808319
8. Cho et al., “Polyelemental Nanopattern via Plasma Ion Bombardment: From Fabrication to Superior H2 Sensing Application”, Advanced Materials 2019, 31, 1805343
9. Cho et al., “Superior Chemical Sensing Performance of Black Phosphorus: Comparison with MoS2 and Graphene” Advanced Materials 2016, 28, 7020-7028
10. Cho et al., “High-Resolution p-type Metal Oxide Nanowire Array for Ultrasensitive Volatile Organic Compounds Sensor”, Nano Letters 2016, 16, 4508-4515
11. Cho et al., “Highly Enhanced Gas Adsorption Properties in Vertically Aligned MoS2 Layers”, ACS Nano 2015, 9, 9314-9321

Professional Experience

2019 – 2022 Massachusetts Institute of Technology 박사후연구원
2016 – 2016 University of California, Berkeley 방문연구원