CHARLES DHONG
Assistant Professor
Assistant Professor
Material Science & Biomedical Engineering
201 D DuPont Hall
Newark, DE 19716
P: 302-831-2280
E: cdhong@udel.edu
EDUCATION
- Ph.D. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, 2016, Johns Hopkins University
- B.S. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, 2012, University of California, Berkeley
- Postdoctoral Researcher, 2017-2019 University of California, San Diego: Nanoengineering
RESEARCH AREAS
- Cancer Therapy & Diagnosis
AREAS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
Charles Dhong’s research is interested in measuring or controlling the mechanical forces at biological interfaces. Biological interfaces, ranging from cells to the human sense, are complex because they are soft and patterned. Although they are complex, controlling these biological interfaces are important in a range of applications, including basic biology, cancer detection, and virtual reality for the sense of touch. To achieve these goals, we build devices, perform simulations and modeling, and incorporate new materials including conductive polymers and graphene sensors.
Research Interests
Quantifying and Designing for the Sense of Touch
We seek to build devices that can convincingly recreate the human sense of touch. To achieve this goal, we are investigating the basic mechanical forces that generate tactile sensations. By identifying and quantifying these mechanical forces, we can identify materials and design devices that recreate arbitrary tactile sensations. These insights are important for many fields, from basic biology, remote surgery, training in virtual reality, to entertainment.
Mechanical Properties of Single Cells and Thin Tissues
The mechanical properties of cells and tissues are important biomarkers for diagnosing diseases and studying basic biology. However, directly measuring the mechanical properties of cells and tissues is difficult, especially with live cells and in a high-throughput manner. We develop platforms that can measure these properties in a convenient method that is orthogonal to many existing techniques.
Mechanical Forces in Complex Geometries and Deformable Interfaces
In nature, most systems are comprised of heterogenous and complex shapes, whereas most man-made objects are relatively simple and smooth. Although these systems in nature are more complex, the enhanced function of natural systems is often derived from these irregular shapes and deformable interfaces. We seek to recreate these complex geometries and provide experimental evidence to explain a variety of mechanical phenomena.
For information about joining the lab, please email Dr. Dhong outlining your specific interests and attach a copy of your CV.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
For a complete listing of Dr. Dhong’s publications, please visit his Google Scholar.
Dhong, C., Miller, R., Root, N.B, Gupta, S., Kayser, L.V., Carpenter, C.W., Loh, K.J., Ramachandran, V.S., Lipomi, D.J., (2019) “Role of Indentation Depth and Contact Area on Human Perception of Softness for Haptic Interfaces”. Science Advances
Dhong, C., Kayser, L.V, Arroyo, R., Shin, A., Finn, M., Kleinschmidt, A.T, Lipomi, D.J. (2018), “Role of fingerprint-inspired relief structures in elastomeric slabs for detecting frictional differences arising from surface monolayers”. Soft Matter
Dhong, C., Edmunds S.J., Ramirez, J., Kayser., L.V., Chen, F., Jokerst, J.V., Lipomi, D.J., (2018) “Optics-free, non-contact measurement of fluids, particles, and bubbles in microchannels using metallic nanoislands on graphene”. Nano Letters