Nada N. Boustany

Our research is focused on developing novel, minimally invasive optical imaging technology to track signaling pathways and analyze the function of genes within living cells. Our work lies at the interface of optics and cell biology and combines instrumentation design, microscopy, tissue culture, genetic manipulation, and numerical simulation of optical phenomena, such as light scattering by cells and organelles. We are currently engaged in defining optical parameters that characterize mitochondrial morphological alterations during cell death. One of our long-term goals is to understand the relationship between gene expression and subcellular structure and dynamics during cell death and early cancer development.

•    2006 - Johnson & Johnson Discovery Award, Rutgers University
•    2006 - Rutgers nominee for the Packard Fellowships for Science and Engineering, a national competition by invitation only, limited to 2 nominations per school, for outstanding faculty
•    2006 - Rutgers nominee for the Searle Scholars Program, a national competition by invitation only, limited to 2 nominations per school, for outstanding young faculty
•    2002 - International Society for Analytical Cytology (ISAC) President’s Award for Excellence
•    2002 - Conference Travel Grant, OSA Topical Meeting on Biomedical Optics
•    1998-2001 - Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University
•    1990-1992 - Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology MEMP Fellowship
•    1988 - Pi Tau Sigma Mechanical Engineering Honor Society, MIT Chapter

•    Optical Society of America
•    Biophysical Society
•    International Society for Analytical Cytology
•    Biomedical Engineering Society

•    Distinguished Post-doctoral Fellow, Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 1998-2001
•    Ph.D., Medical Engineering/ Medical Physics, Harvard - Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Division of Health Sciences and Technology, 1997
•    S.M., Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1991
•    S.B., Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1988