David B. Go
Viola D. Hank Professor of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering; Vice President and Associate Provost for Academic Strategy
University of Notre Dame
Professor Go leads a diverse group of researchers that explore areas ranging from the fundamentals of low-temperature plasma science to the development of new techniques for chemical and biochemical analysis. In particular, he is focused on the
development of new chemical analysis techniques to address a number of biomedical challenges - from the early-stage detection of cancer to drug development and monitoring. As part of the Harper Cancer Research Institute, Professor Go is collaborating with Professor Hseuh-Chia Chang on the development of a microfluidic device to rapidly isolate, detect, and quantify microvesicles and exosomes and the mRNA and miRNA they carry. The team hypothesizes that these microvesicles and exosomes serve as primary indicators of cancer and that understanding the expression of miRNA and mRNA will help us better understand the development and progression of cancer and other diseases. Microfluidics offer the power of conducting these three sample handling stages - separation, detection, quantification - rapidly, in order to increase analysis throughput and minimize the required sample. The team works closely with faculty across campus, including Prof. Donny Hanjaya-Putra and Crislyn D'Souza-Schorey, to apply their technology to different disease and cancer challenges.