Dr. Robert Van Dam

Biography

Dr. Michael van Dam is a Professor in the Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology at UCLA. His research group focuses on developing novel microfluidic technologies and automated systems primarily aimed at solving problems in cancer research and molecular imaging. One of the major focuses of his group is the development of technologies to make positron emission tomography (PET) tracers more widely accessible to researchers and clinicians, aiming to reduce complexity and production costs. The lab has designed and built a prototype chemical synthesis platform that supports the development and optimization of PET tracers, including a compact microscale liquid handling chip that electronically controls droplet reagents for chemical synthesis. Current projects involve using automation to transform this prototype into a user-friendly system, developing intuitive software for operation, and devising integrations with miniature purification and quality control systems. Furthermore, the lab is also employing microfluidic technologies to create high-throughput robotic systems for protein expression analysis at single-cell resolution, focusing on the study and diagnosis of tumor heterogeneity. Dr. van Dam’s lab engages in multidisciplinary collaborations throughout UCLA, highlighting the integration of various fields of study in their research.

Research Interests

Experience