We are a team of young, enthusiastic scientists working at the interface of chemistry, engineering, biology, and medicine. Harnessing our expertise in materials chemistry, nanotechnology, bioimaging, and microfluidics, we develop innovative methodologies to unveil the molecular and cellular mechanisms governing the ensemble behavior of heterogeneous, dynamic biological systems. In particular, we establish new bioanalytical platforms to extract the detailed molecular, structural and environmental characteristics of tissues and microbial populations in their native states. By characterizing the spatial and functional organization of biological components and studying how these components interact, we aim to learn how molecules and cells collectively perform system-level functions. High throughput, high resolution, and unbiased measurements of complex systems require multiple levels of innovations in imaging, sequencing, or cell manipulation tools. Towards these goals, we develop high quality quantum dot probes, establish new imaging platforms, create new microfluidic modules, study fluidic dynamics in microfluidic channels for controlled manipulation of cells and drops, and generate computational analysis pipelines.