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Dean Morales is a Staff Scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Dean specializes in crafting tools that operate at nanometer length scales and pioneering techniques to visualize events at this level, unlocking the mysteries of the nano-world through precise instrumentation and innovative imaging methods. His passion lies in exploring the intricate interplay between the microscopic and macroscopic worlds, leveraging the potential of materials like DNA, polypeptides, and bioderived substances. Within this dynamic space, he focuses on the interactions that occur at bio-material interfaces, thus uncovering novel strategies that lend themselves to advancing biosensors, drug delivery systems and 3D scaffolding of soft materials. Dean is currently investigating molecular interactions occurring between soil microorganisms and how these relationships can be used to inform ecosystem steering and efficient biofuel production. He is also working on biosensor technology to identify small molecule targets within complex microbiome samples.

Capabilities

• 2D and 3D Single Molecule and Particle Tracking
• Holographic Optical Trapping and Force Measurement System
• Optical Microscopy and Single Molecule Spectroscopy
• Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Cell Culture Facilities
• Super Resolution Optical Imaging

Education

BS, Molecular Biology, University of California at San Diego

Awards

• Podium Presentation Award, UC System-Wide Bioengineering Symposium at UCLA, 2017
  
• Mellichamp Travel Award, Mellichamp Chair Cluster Systems Biology, 2017Mellichamp Travel AwarIssued by Mellichamp Chair Cluster Systems Biology · May 20
• PIRE-ECCI Fellowship, The Partnership in International Research and Education in Electron Chemistry and Catalysis at Interfaces, 2013