AES Mid-Career Achievement Award Symposium Honoring Robbyn Anand

The AES (Electrophoresis Society) Mid-Career Award recognizes exceptional contributions to the field of electrophoresis, microfluidics, and related areas by an individual who is currently in the middle of their career.

The 2023 award session will be held on Wednesday, October 11, 2023 from 1:30 PM - 3:10 PM in Room Sierra 5 to recognize the work of Robbyn K. Anand, who is the Suresh Faculty Fellow and Carlyle G. Caldwell Endowed Chair in Chemistry at Iowa State University. Her group has developed methods for circulating tumor cell analysis, electrokinetic enrichment and separation of chemical species within water-in-oil droplets, and more sensitive bioanalysis at arrays of wireless bipolar electrodes. Prof. Anand also founded the Midwest Retreat for Diversity in Chemistry - an annual event aimed at the retention of underrepresented groups in the chemical enterprise.

At 1:30 PM - 1:50 PM, the symposium is set to begin with a presentation by Christopher Easley, hailing from Auburn University. In his talk, titled "Simplified Valve Control and Droplet Merging System for Sampling and Multiplexed Secretion Assays from Ex Vivo Adipose Tissue," Easley will delve into the realm of microfluidics. He will introduce a cutting-edge system that simplifies valve control and droplet merging, allowing for rapid sampling of islet and adipose tissues. This innovation promises to provide invaluable insights into the dynamics of lipolysis in adipose tissue, revolutionizing our understanding of this crucial biological process.

In the next presentation at 1:50 PM - 2:10 PM, Baskar Ganapathysubramanian, representing Iowa State University, will give a presentation, titled "Computationally Modeling Electrokinetic Phenomena: Complex Geometries and Small Electric Double Layers." This talk will explore the computational modeling of electrokinetic phenomena—a realm governed by intricate equations. Ganapathysubramanian will unravel the challenges associated with simulating these phenomena, proposing a novel numerical framework that promises to revolutionize our understanding of electro-convective instabilities and other complex electrochemical dynamics.

The third talk, from 2:10 PM - 2:30 PM, will be given by Thomas Linz, from Wayne State University, who will present "Increasing Sensitivity and Selectivity of miRNA Analyses with Thermal Gel Electrophoresis." Linz's talk will highlight an innovative microfluidic platform designed to analyze microRNAs (miRNAs) with unprecedented sensitivity and selectivity. This approach, based on thermal gel electrophoresis, promises to facilitate biomedical research by enabling the detection of miRNAs from cell lysates and providing a means to selectively quantify multiple target miRNAs in the presence of structurally similar interfering miRNAs.

The fourth talk will be from 2:30 PM - 2:50 PM, will be presented by Alexandra Ros, representing Arizona State University. In her talk, titled "Characterizing micro- and nanoplastics in human body fluids with dielectrophoresis," Ros will venture into the realm of microplastics, an environmental threat of growing concern. She will elucidate how microplastics, including those found in human body fluids, can be characterized using dielectrophoresis—a technique that allows for the manipulation and study of micro- and nanoplastic particles. Ros's research promises to shed light on the impact of these ubiquitous materials on human health, addressing a critical knowledge gap in the field.

The final unannounced talk will be presented from 2:50 PM - 3:10 PM and will close out the symposium.

This symposium promises to be a journey into the developments and innovative research that define the career of Prof. Robbyn K. Anand, the 2023 recipient of the AES Mid-Career Achievement Award. These presentations offer a glimpse into the future of electrophoresis, microfluidics, and related fields, showcasing the transformative potential of science and technology in addressing pressing challenges and advancing our understanding of complex phenomena.

More information on this award may be found here: https://www.aesociety.org/midcareeraward