The mission of the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Bioeffects Division (RHD) is to enable the maximum safe exploitation of the electromagnetic spectrum for DoD purposes.  As a part of this effort, our laboratory seeks to develop new imaging technologies which can quantify cellular responses to various forms of directed energy, including lasers, high power radiofrequency and microwave sources, and pulsed electric fields.  Our group has recent or active projects which seek to utilize 1) quantitative phase imaging to detect transmembrane water flux across cell membranes in response to pulsed electric fields, 2) custom 3D-printed microscopy systems to enable imaging in extreme radiofrequency environments, 3) optical streaking microscopy and high-speed imaging techniques to visualize fast responses to pulsed electric fields and laser pulses, among other ongoing efforts.

We are seeking a talented postdoctoral researcher with experience in biomedical optics, microscopy, optical imaging, or similar fields.  Areas of specialization may include (but are not limited to) fluorescence/fluorescence lifetime imaging, coherence-based imaging (optical coherence tomography, digital holography, quantitative phase imaging), optical elastography and photoacoustics, computational imaging, tomography, total internal reflectance (TIRF) microscopy, hyperspectral and multimodal imaging, ultrafast imaging, atomic force microscopy, light sheet microscopy, spectroscopy (Raman, Brillouin, etc) or other related technologies.  The researcher will have the opportunity to develop their own projects in collaboration with the AFRL principal investigator.  An understanding of biology, biophysics, and cell culture methods is not required but will be considered a plus.  The candidate should have recently earned a PhD in Biomedical Engineering, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Optics/Optical Engineering, or related fields.  Interested candidates should contact Dr. Zachary Steelman (zachary.steelman.1@us.af.mil) for more information and to submit a resume.

Keywords: Directed energy, imaging, microscopy, biomedical optics, spectroscopy

Relevant References:

[1]          Z. A. Steelman et al., Biomed. Opt. Express, vol. 14, pp. 1894-1910, (2023).

[2]          Z. A. Steelman et al., J. Biophotonics, vol. 14, p. e202100125, (2021).

[3]          Z. A. Steelman et al., Sci. Rep., vol. 12, p. 18285, (2022).

[4]          H. T. Beier et al., Biophys J., vol. 116, pp. 120-126, (2019).

[5]          A. S. Kiester et al., Bioelectrochemistry, vol. 142, p. 107929, (2021).