VINSE welcomes Andrea Locke, who joined the institute in August 2025. Locke leads the Locke Biosensing Lab, which develops optical biosensing platforms to address clinical diagnostic challenges at the point of care.
The lab integrates nanoplasmonic structures into paper- and microfluidic-based systems to create rapid, user-friendly diagnostic tools. Current projects use surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) to detect pathogens, inflammatory markers, and other bioanalytes in various biological fluids.
“VINSE provides the advanced analytical core, nanofabrication capabilities, and collaborative environment that are essential for developing and refining our biosensing platforms,” Locke said.