Justus Ndukaife

Ikjun Hong is a graduate student in the Department of Electrical Engineering, conducting research in Professor Justus Ndukaife’s lab. His work centers on cutting-edge topics such as nanophotonics-based optical tweezers, label-free imaging, and thermal radiation. As a newly appointed VINSE Superuser, Ikjun brings his expertise to the training and support… Read More

We are proud to recognize VINSE faculty Justus Ndukaife being named to the 2025 cohort of Chancellor Faculty Fellows. This honor recognizes scholarly excellence and supports the development of future academic leaders at Vanderbilt University. Justus Ndukaife is an internationally known expert in nanophotonics and optical nanotweezers. Since joining… Read More

VINSE is pleased to share that Justus Ndukaife, Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, has been selected as one of the 2025 Optica Ambassadors. This distinguished appointment recognizes Ndukaife for his exceptional contributions to the field of optics and photonics, as well as his commitment to… Read More

Learn more about Dr. Ndukaife and his research group.The Ndukaife group develops optical nanotweezers and nanophotonic structures for trapping, manipulation , imaging and spectroscopy of nanoscale extracellular vesicles and particles to unravel their heterogeneity and functional roles in health and diseases. The team also investigates novel nanophotonic structures and metasurfaces… Read More

Guodong Zhu Graduate Student, Electrical and Computer Engineering Ndukaife Research Group Nanophotonics explores how light interacts with matter at the nanoscale. By engineering periodic nanostructures—such as metamaterials, metasurfaces, and photonic crystals — we can precisely control propagation and confinement of light. These capabilities enable highly sensitive biosensing, advanced… Read More

We are proud to announce that Vanderbilt University has been awarded $965,000 by the National Science Foundation (NSF) for the acquisition of a 50 kV, high-throughput electron beam lithography (e-beam) tool. This grant, part of the NSF’s Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program, represents a significant step forward for research,… Read More

We are excited to announce that Dr. Justus Ndukaife has been promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. This well-deserved recognition highlights Justus’ outstanding contributions to both research and teaching, as well as his dedication to advancing the field of electrical and… Read More

On October 1, 2024, the VINSE Fall Faculty Celebration took place to honor and celebrate the remarkable achievements of our community. This annual event not only highlighted individual accomplishments but also fostered a sense of camaraderie among colleagues. WELCOME TO VINSE Daniel Gonzales | Janell Lees… Read More

At the recent School of Engineering End of the Year Social, Dean Krish Roy presented several awards. Four faculty members from the Vanderbilt Institute for Nanoscale Science and Engineering (VINSE) were honored for their outstanding contributions to research. Rising Star Research Award: Marjan Rafat Marjan Rafat, Assistant Professor of… Read More

Sen Yang is a fifth-year graduate student pursuing a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Materials Science under the direction of Dr. Justus Ndukaife. Ndukaife’s group focuses on multidisciplinary research including plasmonic and resonant dielectric nanostructures for efficient nano-optical trapping, manipulation, enhanced spectroscopy, and sensing of nanoscale objects. Sen’s recent publication… Read More