This research investigates zinc batteries as a safer, cheaper alternative to lithium batteries. By studying the microscopic passive layer formed between zinc and electrolyte, it identifies mechanisms that improve performance and prevent failure. The work aims to enable more reliable, ethical, and fire-safe energy storage technologies through detailed materials analysis.

This research uses a scanning tunneling microscope to visualize and measure individual atoms using quantum tunneling. By mapping surfaces atom-by-atom and probing electronic properties, it advances technologies such as nanowires, superconductors, and atomic-scale chips. Understanding materials at the quantum level enables better design of devices that impact energy, computing, and sustainability.

Presbyopia, the age-related loss of near vision, occurs when the eye’s crystalline lens stiffens. A known lens-softening drug, Bistatin, affects too many eye structures to be safe. This research creates a targeted antibody–drug conjugate that delivers Bistatin only to the lens, restoring flexibility and offering a potential non-surgical treatment.

Balanced cell growth is essential: too much can cause cancer, too little can cause skeletal disorders. This PhD project investigates a mysterious protein linked to dwarfism. By tagging it with GFP, the researcher discovered it drives fat-droplet formation, revealing a previously unknown function that may explain its powerful effects on body growth.