Lan Sun Email & Phone Number

Santa Rosa, Ca, Us

Chandler, Arizona, Us

 Project manager for modeling efforts that support different product lines Technical lead for application development to serve different industries  Algorithm development and analytical method development to support different business needs Product development of optical sensing products

Chandler, Arizona, Us

Chandler, Arizona, Us

Visalia, Ca, Us

 Technical lead for enzyme activities/kinetics related projects to establish protocols, design and coordinate pilot-scale runs and train staffs.  Developed and implemented new analytical methods for raw material characterization and quality assessment of bioprocessing. Collaborated with teams from different departments to scale up novel integrated bioprocesses. Provided technical support to business development. Wrote grant proposals.

Albuquerque, Nm, Us

 Developed methods to characterize cell walls of wild type and genetically modified lignocellulosic biomass for biofuel production using Raman spectroscopy, Raman imaging, polarized Raman imaging, FTIR, infrared imaging and fluorescence imaging. Investigated the molecular mechanism and optimized pretreatment processes for efficient cell wall deconstruction. Evaluated the cell wall changes of various types of lignocellulosic biomass and genetically modified lignocellulosic biomass upon different pretreatments and impacts of these changes on enzymatic saccharification. Optimized the process for ionic liquid pretreatment to realize a large-scale process with the capabilities of ionic liquid recovery and lignin valorization. Provided training to researchers on various spectroscopic and microscopic instruments. Maintained operational responsibility for the Microscopy Laboratory and Spectroscopy Laboratory. Served as a mentor to interns.

West Lafayette, In, Us

 Developed a high-throughput array platform for multiplex and quantitative DNA detection by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) using gold nanoparticles and demonstrated its application in alternative splicing profiling of BRCA1 gene for breast cancer research. (Ph.D. thesis) Synthesized functional gold and silver nanoparticles and characterized these nanoparticles using dark field microscopy, SEM, and TEM. Constructed a COMSOL Multiphysics model to investigate photothermal effects of gold nanoparticles enclosed in polyelectrolyte multilayer capsules to kill cancer cells. Developed protocols for surface plasmon resonance (SPR) based immunoassays and DNA detection.  Developed protocols for in vivo SERS based biomarker detection using gold nanoparticles in the zebrafish model system for animal development research. Designed a SERS bioassay to identify DNA methylation patterns for the studies of plant architecture mutants.  Designed a graphene biosensor for DNA and protein detection. Assisted Prof. Joseph Irudayaraj in writing grant proposals. Provided instrument training and technical support for researchers from different departments. Maintained operational responsibility for the Biological Engineering Laboratory.  Mentored undergraduates in their research projects.

University Park, Pa, Us

 Characterized Raman fingerprints for DNA, protein, mammalian cell lines and bacteria.  Evaluated enzyme adsorption behavior onto magnetic nanoparticles and the corresponding enzyme activities under different conditions. Functionalized magnetic nanoparticles for enzyme immobilization and characterized these nanoparticles using FTIR coupled with principal component analysis.

Singapore, Sg

 Designed and built up a multi-mode heat pump drying system to increase energy efficiency and improve product quality; constructed a two-dimensional drying model and developed the corresponding MATLAB code to simulate the drying process. (Master thesis) Mentored senior undergraduates in their final year projects.

Ph.D., Biological Engineering

Biological Engineering

Master, Mechanical Engineering

Bachelor, Heating, Air Conditioning And Gas Engineering