
RESEARCH
CNSE RESEARCH
About
COLLEGE OF NANOTECHNOLOGY, SCIENCE, AND ENGINEERING (CNSE) is driving innovation through diverse faculty and student research, from AI in computer chips to sustainable solutions and advanced wireless signal processing. Our work advances key areas such as environmental sustainability, security, and technology.
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VIEW 2025 Research in PDF
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MIP PROGRAM
The purpose of the CATN2 Matching Investment Program (MIP) is to support collaborations between New York State businesses and University at Albany faculty that expand applied research capabilities, technology development resources, or operational deployment test beds. The CATN2 MIP has been designed in alignment with the CATN2’s mission to support systematic progression in technology transitions, workforce development, and business growth for our partners seeking to collaborate and grow in the State.
OVERVIEW
MIP project proposal must clearly describe how the MIP funds will be used and explain how the investment under the MIP will expand or enhance on-site infrastructure and capabilities that will
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Identify a distinct technology focus area, commercialization phase (RD&D), market application, and resulting capability by
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​Create a sustainable operating model, such as
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Expand upon prior investments in core facility capabilities
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Potential opportunity to launch a focused campaign to address an unmet need or challenge confronted by industry with potential for broad industry participation.

2023 - 2024
ROUND 11
Faculty/Staff Principal Investigator (PI): Nathaniel Cady
Private Entity Partner: sxRNA Technologies, Inc. with support from Ciencia, Inc. (non NYS company)
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Summary: Grating coupled fluorescent plasmonic (GC-FP) biosensing is a highly sensitive and multiplexed technology that has been proven for protein and antibody based diagnostics, and is poised for transition to other biomolecular detection approaches, such as nucleic acid based testing. This project will guide the transition of sxRNA Technologies proprietary nucleic acid based biosensing and biodetection to the GC-FP platform. The ultimate goal of the project is to transition sxRNA towards commercialization of an RNA-based diagnostic and/or biodetection assay, and to expand the GC-FP platform technology.
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Impact: Establish a unique automated microfluidics capability.

2023 - 2024
ROUND 10
Faculty/Staff Principal Investigator (PI): Michael Fasullo
Private Entity Partner: NextAdvance
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Summary: Extraction of high quality protein and nucleic acid is central to multiple scientific and commercial biotech endeavors. For example, recombinant protein extraction has accelerated the production of vaccines, while nucleic acid extraction has rapidly facilitated field of genetics and system biology, and toxicology. This application builds on the previous CATN2 project by isolating nucleic acids from specific organelles, such as the mitochondria, and from spores. The objectives of this grant are to maximize the utility of extraction methods by mechanical vibrations using glass and zirconium beads for this purpose. The technology will, in turn, be used to answer scientific questions and data will support federal grant applications. One deliverable will be a visual demonstration of the NextAdvance equipment for obtaining high quality Western blots, which will be published in the Journal of Visualized Experiments (JoVE). We have already had success in isolating DNA and protein that has been used as templates for PCR and for Western blots, respectively. We would like to extend our goals to obtain high quality RNA from eukaryotic cells, as well as DNA from organelles and spores. These objectives will be achieved in collaboration with NextAdvance, a local company in the Capital Region. Completion of these objectives will strengthen ties between the local industry and academia, and train additional workers in the biotech field.
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Impact: This project builds on a previous MIP project to expand and sustain our cell, nucleic acid, and protein research capabilities.

2022 - 2023
ROUND 09
Faculty/Staff Principal Investigator (PI): Harry Efstathiadis
Private Entity Partner: Sionic Energy
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Summary: Silicon anode technology is one of the most promising battery technologies leading to exceptional improvements in cell capacity while decreasing the cost of the battery. The major challenge of cells with a Silicon anode is volume expansion and contraction over cycling leading to mechanical and electrochemical degradation over time. This can cause vehicle integration issues (e.g., cell swelling, high-pressure, reduced efficiency) and counteract capacity gains. These issues become even more prominent during fast charging of batteries. One proposed solution to accommodate the huge volume change during cycling is the fabrication of silicon anodes with a 3D porous structure and the modification of its chemistry by means of an appropriate binder that will enhance the cohesion of the anode providing more flexibility and mechanical strength. Using CNSE’s capabilities on material development, cell assembly and cycling, NRA, and X-rays 3D tomography capabilities, this project aims to modify the silicon anode structure and chemistry and study the durability of the anodes both from an electrochemical and mechanical standpoint investigating the Solid Electrolyte Interface (SEI) evolution during repeated cycling, the sources of lithium loss, as well as the mechanical integrity of the system.
The PI previously purchased temperature-controlled docking station for testing four batteries will be upgraded to simultaneously test up to 16 cells to help clear the gridlock on cell testing observed in the lab for cell testing.
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Impact: This project builds on a previous MIP project to develop a world-renowned energy storage testing facility. This is a new collaboration with a Rochester based start-up, Sionic Energy, which expands CNSE’s support of NY based start-up companies. The purchase of the docking station for up to 16 PAT series test cells will greatly improve the Li ion battery testing capabilities of CNSE. The equipment to be upgraded would be jointly used with the industry partners and also offered as a resource to prospective partners from both the industry and academia including faculty/staff of CNSE. It takes several days to test one cell. Several currently funded projects, such as BMW, Sionic Energy, workforce training, etc. generate many battery cells that currently is almost impossible to test all of them in a timely manner.

2022 - 2023
ROUND 08
Faculty/Staff Principal Investigator (PI): Harry Efstathiadis
Private Entity Partner: Sionic Energy
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Summary: Silicon anode technology is one of the most promising battery technologies leading to exceptional improvements in cell capacity while decreasing the cost of the battery. The major challenge of cells with a Silicon anode is volume expansion and contraction over cycling leading to mechanical and electrochemical degradation over time. This can cause vehicle integration issues (e.g., cell swelling, high-pressure, reduced efficiency) and counteract capacity gains. These issues become even more prominent during fast charging of batteries. One proposed solution to accommodate the huge volume change during cycling is the fabrication of silicon anodes with a 3D porous structure and the modification of its chemistry by means of an appropriate binder that will enhance the cohesion of the anode providing more flexibility and mechanical strength. Using CNSE’s capabilities on material development, cell assembly and cycling, NRA, and X-rays 3D tomography capabilities, this project aims to modify the silicon anode structure and chemistry and study the durability of the anodes both from an electrochemical and mechanical standpoint investigating the Solid Electrolyte Interface (SEI) evolution during repeated cycling, the sources of lithium loss, as well as the mechanical integrity of the system.
The PI previously purchased temperature-controlled docking station for testing four batteries will be upgraded to simultaneously test up to 16 cells to help clear the gridlock on cell testing observed in the lab for cell testing.
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Impact: This project builds on a previous MIP project to develop a world-renowned energy storage testing facility. This is a new collaboration with a Rochester based start-up, Sionic Energy, which expands CNSE’s support of NY based start-up companies. The purchase of the docking station for up to 16 PAT series test cells will greatly improve the Li ion battery testing capabilities of CNSE. The equipment to be upgraded would be jointly used with the industry partners and also offered as a resource to prospective partners from both the industry and academia including faculty/staff of CNSE. It takes several days to test one cell. Several currently funded projects, such as BMW, Sionic Energy, workforce training, etc. generate many battery cells that currently is almost impossible to test all of them in a timely manner.

NEW RESEARCH CAPABILITIES ESTABLISHED BY THE CATN2 MIP
Mpro inhibitors

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The Boivin lab obtained inhibitors for Mpro that could be used for thioredoxin-1. We have plasmids to express and purify the main protease of SARS CoV-2, Mpro for further studies. We also obtained from plasmids to perform bioID, a method that allows to biotinylate and to detect a network of protein that interacts with your protein of interest. We also performed some proximity ligation assays to detect proteins that interact with Mpro in cells.
Kaijo Mega Puck Ultrasonic

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The Mega Puck sends up to 100 watts of 950kHz acoustic energy through a 40mm diameter piezoelectric crystal. The crystal is bonded to a PFA coated 316L stainless steel plate. The ultrasonic system can be used to process wafers (for removing resist, helping with lift-off patterning, and cleaning) and is flexible for multiple types of containers and wafer sizes.
Novel PCM UHV technology

Unique ultra-high vacuum (UHV) deposition from molecular beams for group III(Al, Ga, In) -Sb phase change memory (PCM). The technology is capable for multilayer stacks fabrication with in-situ contact metal deposition with atomic-scale precision.
Electrical probe station

Electrical probe station that can be use for probing very small sized electrodes, which cannot be achieved with existing probe station technologies. The resulting equipment setup is a flexible probe station + microscope that will enable real-time viewing and probing of very small electrical structures (micrometer and smaller).
Angle-resolved XPS measurements

Angle-resolved XPS is a characterization technique that allows one to determine the atomic concentration and chemical state of the surface region of a sample with very high surface sensitivity (<1nm). This capability has established angle-resolved measurements on the the Quantera II XPS.
sxRNA “LiTE Technology”prototype tracking system for use in human ex vivo 3D organ models and future scaled process biomanufacturing

Prototype capabilities for Lineage Tracer Enabling "LiTE” technology developed and tested on a proprietary human stem cell derived cardiac gastruloid model developed in the Paluh lab. LiTE technology is designed to monitor and control rapid changes in multi-lineage tissue differentiation and morphogenesis of the heart. It will benefit uniformity and scaling for mass production
MBE of III-V heterostructures

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Molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) after renovation and upgrade is capable of growth group III(Ga,In,Al)-V(As,Sb) epitaxial heterostructures for variety of electronic and photonic applications. ​
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Lakeshore Hall Effect measurement System

Lakeshore Hall Effect system including high-field electromagnet, variable-temperature sample holder, and electronic characterization platform.
Klar Mini Pro micro-photoluminescence mapping microscope

Klar Mini Pro micro-photoluminescence mapping microscope with ultraviolet light source kit. Capability of the system is being expanded with a custom low-temperature stage to enable cryogenic study of similar structures using the same optics and automated data acquisition system.
WBG power semiconductor device static and dynamic characterization

A WBG power semiconductor device static and dynamic characterization test platform for evaluating the electrical performance of packaged single-chip discretes and multi-chip co-packs and power modules, using novel device architectures and/or packaging materials/electro-physical topologies.
High-temp (>200oC) reliability testing system

This high-temperature (>200oC) reliability testing system is capable of simultaneously accommodating 80 devices is a first of its kind for an academic institute in the United States.
Gel Permeation Chromatography Upgrade

This capaiblity allows for the measurement of molecular weight of organic polymers and organometallic clusters. The HPLC is completely re-built. One of the important additions to the instrument were a autosampler, so samples could be run overnight.
Pulsed power stressing

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Utilization of pulsed power stressing for electromigration assessments and use of COMSOL for modeling the response to pulsed power. Also, discovered capability to obtain high frequency (MHz). Another capability is to measure creep deflection on a cantilever beam through interferometry.
Senescence targeting sxRNA prototype therapeutics (SensxRNA)

Senescence targeting sxRNA prototype therapeutics (SensxRNA) developed. Unique murie model system for testing senescence therapeutics established.
Novel selection method for generating recombinant protein producing cells

A new cell selection technology used in the labs of Professor Sharfstein and Professor Tenenbaum. Plasmids and instructions can be obtained from Professors Sharfstein and Tenenbaum. Nucleofectors for introduction of plasmids and RNA into cells are available for use in the Sharfstein and Tenenbaum labs.
High voltage measurement system >20 kV

>3 kV high voltage measurement capability can be rarely found across the country. SUNY Poly has developed a system with high voltage measurement >20 kV.