David Gracias

Associate Professor

Office:  410-516-5284
Email: dgracias@jhu.edu
Curriculum Vitae

Education

• Post-Doctoral Fellow, Harvard University. 1999 - 2001
• Ph.D., Physical Chemistry, U.C. Berkeley. 1994 - 1999
• 5-yr integrated M.S., Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur. 1989 - 1994

Research Interests

The Gracias laboratory develops new methods to fabricate very small devices and integrated structures, and characterize these systems using microscopy and spectroscopy. A major thrust of our research is focused on constructing miniaturized 3D devices which are especially challenging to fabricate at small size scales, as a result of the inherent two dimensionality of lithographic processes.

We utilize a range of experimental techniques including photo-, e-beam and nano-imprint lithography; thin film deposition, molding, etching, culture of prokaryotic (E coli) and and eukaryotic (e.g. fibroblasts, islets, cardio myocytes) cells, biological assays (e.g. fluorescent stains, ELISA), non-linear optical spectroscopy, electron microscopy (TEM & SEM with fixation), RF measurements such as GHz spectrum analysis, electrochemicial methods such as potentiometry and chronoamperometry and four point electrical testing with femto-amp resolution. We also utilize analytical methods to model data as well finite element methods (HFSS, Surface Evolver). Our lab is multidisciplinary and students in our lab have had backgrounds in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science, Biomedical Engineering and Medicine.

Publications

• "Curving nanostructures using extrinsic stress," J. H. Cho, T. James, and D. H. Gracias, Advanced Materials 22, 21, 2320-2324 (2010). [Featured on the cover.]
• "Directed growth of fibroblasts into three dimensional micropatterned geometries via self-assembling scaffolds," M. Jamal, N. Bassik, J. -H. Cho, C. L. Randall, and D. H. Gracias, Biomaterials 31, 7, 1683-1690 (2010).
• "Toward a miniaturized mechanical surgeon," R. Fernandes and D. H. Gracias, Materials Today 12, 10, 14-20 (2009). 
• "Self-assembly of lithographically patterned nanoparticles," J. H. Cho and D. H. Garcias, Nanoletters 9, 12, 4049-4052, (2009). 
• "Tetherless thermobiochemically actuated microgrippers," T. G. Leong, C. L. Randall, B. R. Benson, N. Bassik, G. M. Stern, and D. H. Gracias, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences  106, 703-708 (2009).