2008-2009 Research Centers, Laboratories, and Institutes

Center for Cell Control

Chih-Ming Ho, Ph.D. (Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering), Director; http://www.centerforcellcontrol.org

A cell consists of millions of intracellular molecules, which serve as building blocks for its structure and functions. Interactions among these building blocks display the property of self organization, which serves as the foundation of signaling networks and regulatory pathways. Through these interconnected networks, a cell—the basic unit of life—senses, responds, and adapts to its environment. These three characteristics are commonly observed in all complex systems. The goal of the Center for Cell Control (CCC) at UCLA is to apply an unprecedented approach toward efficiently searching for a potent drug cocktail for guiding biological systems to a directed phenotype. Nanoscale modalities and molecular sensors are used to understand the signal pathway responses under the influence of the drugs. This introduces engineering systems that can be applied toward regulation of a spectrum of cellular functions, such as cancer eradication, viral infection onset control, and stem cell differentiation.

This highly interdisciplinary approach demands strong synergetic collaboration between engineers, biologists, and clinical doctors at UCLA and UC Berkeley. Projects important to the goals of the NIH nanomedicine program are development of a smart petri dish platform with advanced nanoscale modalities, capable of studying signal pathways at the network interaction level; and demonstration of the unique capability to determine optimal multiple drug combinations and apply the resulting drug cocktail as potential therapeutics in pathogenic diseases and cancer.

Three biological systems—stem cell, cancer, and viral infection—have been proposed. Because stem cells have interesting features closely mirroring circuit reprogramming, they are used as the first system for monitoring and interrogating reactions in the network of pathways. Viral infection and cancer cells will be used in drug combinatory studies. As the program becomes more mature, networks of all three systems will be interrogated by nano tools under the potent drug cocktails.

Center for Embedded Networked Sensing

National Science Foundation Science and Technology Center

Deborah Estrin, Ph.D. (Computer Science), Director ; http://www.cens.ucla.edu

The Center for Embedded Networked Sensing (CENS) is a major research enterprise focused on developing wireless sensing systems and applying this revolutionary technology to critical scientific and societal pursuits. In the same way that development of the Internet transformed our ability to communicate, the ever-decreasing size and cost of computing components sets the stage for detection, processing, and communication technology to be embedded throughout the physical world and, thereby, fostering a deeper understanding of the natural and built environment and, ultimately, enhancing our ability to design and control these complex systems.

By investigating fundamental properties of embedded networked sensing systems, developing new technologies, and exploring novel scientific and educational applications, CENS is a world leader in unleashing the tremendous potential these systems hold.

The center is a multidisciplinary collaboration among faculty, staff, and students from a wide spectrum of fields, including computer science, electrical engineering, civil and environmental engineering, biology, statistics, education and information sciences, urban planning, and theater, film, and television. CENS was established in 2002 as a National Science Foundation Science and Technology Center and is a partnership of UCLA, UC Riverside, UC Merced, USC, and Cal Tech.

The center's current research portfolio encompasses projects across nine technology and applications areas, examples of which include

Center for Energy Science and Technology Advanced Research

Mohamed A. Abdou, Ph.D. (Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering), Director ; Neil B. Morley, Ph.D. (Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering), Associate Director ; http://cestar.seas.ucla.edu

The Center for Energy Science and Technology Advanced Research (CESTAR) is an interdepartmental research center whose mission is to provide a common focal point for collaboration and synergism among researchers at UCLA involved in energy-related research. CESTAR helps enable energy research to become larger than the sum of its parts, promoting researcher teaming, expertise and equipment sharing, information exchange, and invited energy research seminars. CESTAR also provides a point of contact for those outside UCLA who are interested in learning about energy-related research conducted here.

CESTAR is organized around four specific energy thrust areas: fusion energy, hydrogen, materials for energy applications, and energy conversion and conservation.

Fusion Energy Science and technology for future fusion energy producing reactors. Current research includes:

Hydrogen Hydrogen-based transportation can yield significant reductions in emissions of toxic substances and accord significant health benefits to residents of Southern California, the U.S., and the world. The Hydrogen Engineering Research Consortium (HERC) brings together the expertise of academic and industrial resources to help bring about the onset of the hydrogen economy. Consumers are starting to reduce their driving and are looking for alternative transportation solutions. Major energy providers also view the use of hydrogen-powered fuel cells as the most sustainable mobility solution. The strongest argument for hydrogen as fuel, however, is the inability of current transportation systems to prevent the emission of large amounts of toxic substances.

Materials for Energy Applications Broad range of advanced materials with current focus on power generation by polymer solar cells. These plastic cells potentially cost little to fabricate and are convenient to install and maintain. A second focus is on new materials for energy storage, such as advanced batteries and hydrides. Current research spans from new materials to device architectures, including

Center on Functional Engineered Nano Architectonics

Microelectronic Advanced Research Corporation Focus Center

Kang L. Wang, Ph.D. (Electrical Engineering), Director ; Bruce S. Dunn, Ph.D. (Materials Science and Engineering), Co-Director ; http://www.fena.org

Dramatic advances in nanotechnology, molecular electronics, and quantum computing are creating the potential for significant expansion of current semiconductor technologies. Researchers at UCLA make pioneering contributions to these fields through the Functional Engineered Nano Architectonics Focus Center (FENA) funded by the Semiconductor Research Association and the Department of Defense.

The term “architectonics” is derived from a Greek word meaning master builder—an apt description of the center’s researchers as they build a new generation of nano-scale materials, structures, and devices for the electronics industry.

The FENA team explores the challenges facing the semiconductor industry as the electronic devices and circuits that power today’s computers grow ever smaller. With more and more transistors and other components squeezed onto a single chip, manufacturers are rapidly approaching the physical limits posed by current chip-making processes. Researchers seek to resolve a number of issues related to post-CMOS technologies that allow them to extend semiconductor technology further into the realm of the nanoscale.

Flight Systems Research Center

A.V. Balakrishnan, Ph.D. (Electrical Engineering), Director ; http://fsrc.ee.ucla.edu

The Flight Systems Research Center, established in 1985 under a Memorandum-of-Agreement with the NASA Ames/Dryden Flight Research Facility, is devoted to interdisciplinary research in flight systems and related technologies. Faculty from the Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Departments are currently associated with the center. Current research projects include

Western Institute of Nanoelectronics

A Nanoelectronics Research Initiative National Institute of Excellence

Kang L. Wang, Ph.D. (Electrical Engineering), Director ; http://win-nano.org

The Western Institute of Nanoelectronics (WIN), one of the world’s largest joint research programs focusing on spintronics, brings together nearly 30 eminent researchers to explore critically-needed innovations in semiconductor technology.

A National Institute of Excellence, WIN leverages what are considered the best interdisciplinary nanoelectronics talents in the world to explore and develop advanced research devices, circuits, and nanosystems with performance beyond conventional CMOS devices. The pioneering new technology of spintronics relies on the spin of an electron to carry information, and holds promise in minimizing power consumption for next-generation electronics.

As rapid progress in the miniaturization of semiconductor electronic devices leads toward chip features smaller than 100 nanometers in size, researchers have had to begin exploring new ways to make electronics more efficient. Today’s devices, based on CMOS standards, cannot get much smaller and still function effectively.

Information-processing technology has so far relied on charge-based devices, ranging from vacuum tubes to million-transistor microchips. Conventional electronic devices simply move these electric charges around, ignoring the spin on each electron. Spintronics aims to put that extra spin action to work—effectively corralling electrons into one smooth chain of motion.