Our group at Northwestern University (Prof. Vadim Backman, Prof. Xu Li, and myself) is working on theoretical, computational modeling, and experimental techniques for optical microscopy that may lead to improvements in the detection of objects normally considered to be below the classical diffraction limit. We are especially interested in potential clinical applications in early-stage detection of cancers in epithelial tissues such as those within the colon. This presentation will provide some background and recent developments in our research.

Bio Sketch
Allen Taflove received B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from Northwestern University in 1971, 1972, and 1975, respectively. Since 1988, he has been a professor in Northwestern's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Since 1972, Allen has pioneered finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) computational electrodynamics. He coined the FDTD acronym in 1980, and in 1990 was the first person to be named an IEEE Fellow in this area. Currently, FDTD is one of the most widely used methods for solving Maxwell's equations, with hundreds of papers published each year and numerous software packages developed by academic, commercial, and government organizations. In 1995, Allen authored Computational Electrodynamics: The Finite-Difference Time-Domain Method. Now in its third edition, this book has total sales approaching 10,000 volumes and more than one-dozen university adoptions. Overall, Allen has authored or co-authored 5 books, 14 book chapters, more than 100 refereed journal papers, approximately 250 conference papers, and 14 U.S. patents. He is listed on ISIHighlyCited.com, the Institute of Scientific Information's compilation of the most-cited researchers worldwide. Allen has been the thesis advisor of 20 Ph.D. recipients. Three of his Ph.D. graduates, all women, hold tenured or tenure-track positions in electrical engineering departments of major universities. His undergraduate teaching has also been recognized with his naming as a Charles Deering McCormick Professor of Teaching Excellence, and his selection to the Associated Student Government honor roll of best teachers for the past four consecutive years.