(3fb) Bioelectronics for the Nervous System: From Fundamentals to Translational Medicine

Research Interests

Research on the nervous system involves two major goals: understanding how neural circuitries function and curing neurological disorders. The advancements in both realms are primarily driven by neurotechnology, where substantial innovations in materials, devices, and methodologies were particularly required. In my laboratory, I envision to build an interdisciplinary research program that intersects the fields of materials science and electrochemistry for neurotechnology. I aim to exploit the principles in electrochemistry and advancements in materials science for developing new devices and systems that can seamlessly interface with the neural networks and the associated physiological environment, and thus enables the interrogation, modulation, diagnosis, and treatment of the nervous system with high efficacy, high precision, and long-term biocompatibility.

Research Experience

In graduate school at Stanford University, I was trained as a materials scientist and electrochemist under the supervision of Professor Yi Cui. In my graduate research, I sought to understand the mechanistic origins of corrosion in the high-energy lithium battery systems, while at the same time innovating the structure and interfacial chemistry of materials to tackle the major obstacles towards viable technology. Through the training, I have deepened the understandings of electrochemical processes and been equipped with extensive expertise in materials synthesis and system design. As a postdoctoral fellow, I have been working with Professor Charles M. Lieber at Harvard University and developing a series of advanced toolkits for neural network interrogation and modulation. In particular, I developed polymer-based devices and the corresponding implantation modalities that allow for large-area, scalable, and seamless neuron mapping and modulation in vivo. During the study, I have garnered skillsets including but not limited to microfabrication of electronics, animal surgery, electrophysiological study and behavioral tests. By extensively learning from the cutting-edge literature in neuroscience and interacting with neuroscientists and neurologists, I have also gained important visions on the pressing needs in fundamental research and clinics, which further facilitate the innovations I made in neurotechnology.

Teaching Experience & Interests

During my graduate school at Stanford University, I have served as a Teaching Assistant for two courses (MATSCI202 Materials Chemistry; MATSCI 316 Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology). In these courses, I led the weekly office hours and grading, participated in syllabus design, and even independently gave several lectures on behalf of the instructors. In addition, I have contributed two guest lectures to undergraduate and graduate-level courses.

Trained as a materials scientist in my undergraduate and graduate education, I am qualified to teach core courses in Materials Science and Engineering at any level. I am also open to explore the possibilities of teaching courses in Chemical engineering. Given my extensive experience and knowledge in the field of electrochemistry, nanotechnology, energy storage, and bioelectronics, I am also ready to teach or develop lectures in these topics.

Selected First-author Publications

* equal contribution.

18. D. Lin*, J. M. Lee*, G. Hong, T. Zhou, C. Wang, Y. Qi, H.-G. Park, and C. M. Lieber, "Injectable ventral spinal neuroprostheses with excellent sensitivity, fine motor control and chronic stability." In Preparation.

17. D. Lin*, J. M. Lee*, Y. Qi, G. Hong, H.-G. Park, and C. M. Lieber, "Seamless mapping of nonlinear brain structures and circuits at the single-neuron level." In Preparation.

16. J. M. Lee*, D. Lin*, K-H. Kim, Y. Qi, B. Deng, G. Hong, H-G. Park, and C. M. Lieber, "Three-dimensional recording electrodes for high-performance neural probes." In Preparation.

15. D. Lin*, Y. Liu*, Y. Li, Y. Li, A. Pei, J. Xie, W. Huang, and Y. Cui, "Fast galvanic lithium corrosion involving a Kirkendall-type mechanism." Nature Chemistry 11 (4), 382 (2019)

14. J.M. Lee*, G. Hong*, D. Lin*, T.G. Schuhmann, A.T. Sullivan, R.D. Viveros, H.-G. Park and C.M. Lieber, "Nanoenabled direct contact interfacing of syringe-injectable mesh electronics." Nano Lett. 19, 5818-5826 (2019).

13. D. Lin*, P. Y. Yuen*, Y. Liu, W. Liu, N. Liu, R. Dauskardt and Y. Cui, "A silica‐aerogel‐reinforced composite Polymer electrolyte with high ionic conductivity and high modulus." Adv. Mater. 30 (32), 1802661 (2018)

12. D. Lin*, Y. Liu*, and Y. Cui, "Reviving the lithium metal anode for high-energy batteries." Nature Nanotechnol. 12 (3), 194–206 (2017)

11. D.Lin, J. Zhao, J. Sun, H. Yao, Y. Liu, K. Yan, Y. Cui, "Three-dimensional stable lithium metal anode with nanoscale lithium islands embedded in ionically conductive solid matrix." PNAS 114 (18), 4613-4618 (2017)

10. D. Lin, Y. Liu, W. Chen, G. Zhou, K. Liu, B. Dunn, and Y. Cui, "Conformal LiF protection layer on three-dimensional lithium by nonhazardous gaseous reagent freon." Nano Lett. 17 (6), 3731–3737 (2017)

9. D. Lin, Y. Liu, A. Pei, and Y. Cui, "Nanoscale perspective: Materials designs and understandings in lithium metal anodes." Nano Res. 10 (12), 4003–4026 (2017)

8. D. Lin*, Y. Liu*, Z. Liang, H-W Lee, J. Sun, H. Wang, K. Yan, J. Xie, Y. Cui, "Layered reduced graphene oxide with nanoscale interlayer gaps as a stable host for lithium metal anodes." Nature Nanotechnol. 11 (7), 626-632 (2016)

7. Y. Liu*, D. Lin*, Z. Liang, J. Zhao, K. Yan, Y. Cui, "Lithium-coated polymeric matrix as a minimum volume-change and dendrite-free lithium metal anode." Nature Commun. 7, 10992 (2016)

6. D. Lin, D. Zhuo, Y. Liu, and Y. Cui, "All-integrated bifunctional separator for Li dendrite detection via novel solution synthesis of a thermostable polyimide separator." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 138 (34), 11044-11050 (2016)

5. D. Lin, W. Liu, Y. Liu, H.R. Lee, P.C. Hsu, K. Liu, Y. Cui, "High ionic conductivity of composite solid polymer electrolyte via in situ synthesis of monodispersed SiO₂ nanospheres in poly(ethylene oxide)." Nano Lett. 16 (1), 459-465 (2016)

4. W. Liu*, D. Lin*, A. Pei*, and Y. Cui, "Stabilizing lithium metal anodes by uniform Li-ion flux distribution in nanochannel confinement." J. Am. Chem. Soc. 138 (47), 15443–15450 (2016)

3. D. Lin, Z. Lu, P.C. Hsu, H.R. Lee, N. Liu, J. Zhao, H. Wang, C. Liu, Y. Cui, "A high tap density secondary silicon particle anode fabricated by scalable mechanical pressing for lithium-ion batteries." Energy Environ. Sci. 8 (8), 2371-2376 (2015)

2. D.C. Lin, G. Bi, F. Li, C. Song, Y. Wang, B. Cui, G. Wang, F. Pan, "[010] uniaxial-anisotropy induced asymmetry of magnetic reversal in (Ga, Mn) As." J. Appl. Phys. 113 (4), 043906 (2013)

1. D.C. Lin, C. Song, B. Cui, Y. Wang, G. Wang, F. Pan, "Giant coercivity in perpendicularly magnetized cobalt monolayer." Appl. Phys. Lett. 101 (11), 112405 (2012)