Kevin Cash

Associate Professor, Chemical and Biological Engineering

Kevin CashCurrent molecular probes and sensor technologies present limitations in both the range of targets that can be measured and the ability to function in the complicated in vivo environment. My research program will help answer pressing biomedical questions by developing novel nanosensors that overcome these limitations and applying these new tools in situ. Traditional sensor designs, while being quite valuable for in vitro and laboratory analysis, often fail in vivo due to complications such as sensor invasiveness, sensitivity, selectivity, and limitations from the sensor readout mechanism. Polymeric nanosensors have emerged over the past several years as an excellent nanosensor design platform for continuous in vivo monitoring that overcomes the shortcomings of many traditional sensor designs.

Contact

225 Alderson Hall
1613 Illinois Street
Golden, CO 80401
(303) 273-3631
kcash@mines.edu

 

Research Group

  • John Branning, University of Texas at Dallas
  • Adrian Mendonsa, Drexel University
  • Samuel Saccomano, Colorado State University
  • Tyler Sodia, Metropolitan State University of Denver

Cash Research Group Website

Using nanosensors as a platform, my lab’s research is focused on three key projects to advance this field.

  1. Develop the approaches to better control nanosensor function and understand how to adapt nanosensors to measuring in the complicated physiological systems. 
  2. Use next generation imaging properties and tools to enable function in vivo through the reduction or elimination of biological background signals.
  3. Develop nanosensors for improved imaging in complex microbial communities (medical bacterial biofilms & environmental microbial consortia).

Education

  • BS – Northeastern University
  • PhD – University of California, Santa Barbara
  • Post-Doctoral Study – C.S. Draper Laboratory and Northeastern University

Publications

Google Scholar Citations Page

Honors & Awards

  • 2020 NSF CAREER Award
  • 2017 SLAS Tony B. Academic Travel Award
  • 2015 National Academies Education Fellow in the Life Sciences
  • 2015 SLAS Tony B. Academic Travel Award