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Derek HansfordAssistant ProfessorPh.D., University of California-Berkeley, 1999 Tel. (614) 292-9957 Office: 278 Watts Hall
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Dr. Hansford is a joint faculty member with Biomedical Engineering and the Biophysics graduate program at OSU. He has more than eleven years of research experience on microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). This experience ranges from characterization of the operational and material characteristics of silicon micromotors and microresonators to the development of complete microfabrication protocols of polymers with specifically designed functional groups. His current research involves the development of generalized microfabrication protocols for polymers as well as advanced applications of polymer, glass, and silicon microdevices for biomedical applications.
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| Figure 1: Optical micrograph of 5 micron diameter circles fabricated from polypropyl methacrylate (PPMA) for drug delivery applications. | ||
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| Figure 2: Cross-sectional optical micrograph of ~150 nm channels through polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS, silicone rubber). The sizes of these channels allows us to directly interrogate individual macromolecules (such as proteins or DNA) for diagnostic applications.
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His recent research has focused on the microfabrication of polymers to produce microdevice drug delivery systems (Figure 1) and nanochannels for the controlled motion of biomolecules in solution (Figure 2). This research involves controlling the processing parameters to improve adhesion, stress states, and thermal stability of deposited films, as well as methods of selectively removing or placing the films. Design of devices allow the incorporation of many different functions in the extremely limited real estate of microdevices.
He has worked on the materials science issues in microdevices during his undergraduate (MSE, CWRU 1994) and graduate (MSME, UC Berkeley 1999) education, and continues to investigate novel processing methods for microfabricating biomedical microdevices at OSU.
Dr. Hansford serves as the Chief Scientist of Microfabrication at the Nanotech West Laboratory. In this role, he supervises and performs research on novel processing technologies for biomedical microdevices, including materials thin film research and device design and fabrication research. He also works with other researchers to implement their processes in the lab, assists researchers new to microfabrication in developing microfabrication protocols, and develops new processes based on biocompatible materials.
