San Francisco University
Resume:
Mihaela Balu
Beckman Laser Institute and Medical Clinic, University of California, Irvine
**** ****** ******** **., ******, CA, 92612
Tel: 949-***-****, e-mail: *******.*@***.***
EDUCATION
Ph.D., Optics, August 2006
College of Optics & Photonics: CREOL, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
Major: Nonlinear Optics
Dissertation: Experimental Techniques for Nonlinear Material Characterization: A Nonlinear Spectrometer Using a White-Light
Continuum Z-scan (advisor: Prof. Eric W. Van Stryland)
M.S., Optics, May 2002
College of Optics & Photonics: CREOL, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
Major: Nonlinear Optics
M.S., Physics, June 1999
University of Bucharest, Bucharest, ROMANIA
Major: Physics Minor: Optics
B.S., Physics, June 1998
University of Bucharest, Bucharest, ROMANIA
Major: Physics Minor: Optics
WORK EXPERIENCE
Beckman Laser Institute and Medical Clinic, University of California, Irvine Feb 2007 - present
Post-doctoral Researcher (Prof. Bruce Tromberg s group)
Newport Corporation, Irvine, CA May 2007- Aug 2007
Intern (Technology and Application Center)
College of Optics & Photonics: CREOL, University of Central Florida Aug 2006 - Feb 2007
Research Associate
College of Optics & Photonics: CREOL, University of Central Florida Aug 2000 - Aug 2006
Graduate Research Assistant
National Institute for Lasers, Plasma, and Radiation Physics, Bucharest, ROMANIA Sept 1998 - Aug 2000
Scientific Researcher
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
My current research is focused on developing methods for enhancing imaging depth and information content in non-linear optical
microscopy. I have experience in building multi-modality optical microscopy platforms and in operating commercial 2-photon and
confocal imaging systems. I successfully designed and developed a multi-dimensional microscopy platform that integrates three
imaging techniques to assess biological tissues: coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS), two-photon excited fluorescence
(TPEF) and second harmonic generation (SHG). I currently use this multi-modal optical microscope for several projects involving: in
vivo human skin imaging, study of the structure and formation of atherosclerotic plaques, lipids invasion in muscle fibers associated
with certain diseases. Besides studying various biological systems using the technology already developed and the commercial
available systems, I also work on further extending the potential of our instruments. This work involves: adding Optical Coherence
Tomography (OCT) as fourth detection channel to our microscopy platform for complete assessment of biological systems;
developing a fiber-based CARS microendoscope for use in non-invasive in vivo measurements.
TEACHING
Lectures and presentations on Interaction of Light with Matter and Optical Microscopy at Beckman Laser Institute, University of
California, Irvine (2008-2010)
SKILLS
Research:
Optical design of experiments, optical alignment, optical imaging, design and development of optical imaging systems, nonlinear
material characterization, ultrafast laser based optical microscopy, multiphoton microscopy, biomedical imaging, coherent anti-Stokes
Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy, optical coherence tomography (OCT), optical fiber handling, optical endoscopy
Instrumentation:
Confocal Laser Scanning Biological Microscope (Olympus)
META 510, Confocal Laser Scanning Biological Microscope (Zeiss)
CPA 2010 regenerative amplified kHz Ti:Sapphire femtosecond laser system (Clark-MXR, Inc.)
TOPAS & TOPAS-white Vis/NIR Optical Parametric Generator/Amplifier (Light Conversion)
Optical Parametric Oscillator OPAL (Spectra-Physics)
Femtosource Ti:Sapphire oscillator (12 fs) (Femtolaser)
MIRA 900 Mode-locked Ti:Sapphire femtosecond oscillator laser system (Coherent, Inc.)
Solid-state picosecond oscillator laser system with synchronization module (High-Q Laser)
Software:
IPLab, ImageJ (image processing), OSLO, ZEMAX (optical design), Mathcad, Matlab, Mathematica, Visual BASIC
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES:
12/08-12/09 Vice president of the UC Irvine Chapter of Optical Society of America (OSA)
- planned and organized a series of seminars and lectures by renowned scientists in the Optics & Photonics field
- involved in other activities organized by the UC Irvine OSA Chapter: Art in Science contest, new member
recruitment, outreach activities
12/08-present Volunteer in activities organized by the Optical Society of Southern California (OSSC): Family Day, Optricks Day -
including hands-on science activities for kids at all ages.
AWARDS
Merit Scholarship, Bucharest University, 1993-1998
CREOL Fellowship, University of Central Florida, 2000-2005
New Focus Travel Grant; New Focus, 2004
Graduate Student Travel Grant, University of Central Florida, 2004, 2005
SPIE student travel grant, SPIE, 2005
UCF Graduate Studies Fellowship, Summer 2006
Certificate of Appreciation - College of Optics & Photonics: CREOL&FPCE- 2006
AFFILIATIONS
SPIE member - The International Society for Optical Engineering; 2000-2006
OSA member - Optical Society of America; 2001-present
APS&DLS member - American Physical Society & Division of Laser Science; 2004 -2006
IEEE member - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; 2004 -2006
CITIZENSHIP
Romanian
IMMIGRATION STATUS
US Permanent Resident
PUBLICATIONS
Peer-reviewed academic journals
1. Mihaela Balu, Gangjun Liu, Zhongping Chen, Bruce J. Tromberg, Eric O. Potma, Fiber delivered probe for efficient CARS
imaging of tissues Optics Express, 18, 2380-2388 (2010)
2. Mihaela Balu, Tommaso Baldacchini, John Carter, Tatiana B. Krasieva, Ruben Zadoyan, Bruce J. Tromberg,, Effect of
excitation wavelength on penetration depth in nonlinear optical microscopy of turbid media Journal of Biomedical Optics
Letters, 14, 010508 (2009)
3. Mihaela Balu, Lazaro Padilha, David J. Hagan, Eric W. Van Stryland, Sheng Yao, Kevin Belfield, Shijun Zheng, Stephen
Barlow, Seth Marder, Broadband Z-scan characterization using a high spectral irradiance, high quality supercontinuum
Journal of Optical Society of America B, 25, 159-165 (2008)
4. Mihaela Balu, Joel Hales, David J. Hagan, Eric W. Van Stryland, Dispersion of nonlinear refraction and two-photon absorption
using a white-light continuum Z-scan Optics Express, 13, 3594-3599 (2005)
5. Mihaela Balu, Joel Hales, David J. Hagan, Eric W. Van Stryland, White-light continuum Z-scan technique for nonlinear
materials characterization, Optics Express, 13, 3820-3826 (2004)
6. Florencio E. Hernandez, Kevin D. Belfield, Ion Cohanoschi, Mihaela Balu, Katherine J. Schafer, Three and Four-Photon
Absorption of a Multiphoton Absorbing Probe, Applied Optics, 43, 5394-5398 (2004)
7. Katherine J. Schafer, Joel M. Hales, Mihaela Balu, Kevin D. Belfield, Eric W. Van Stryland, David J. Hagan, Two-photon
absorption cross-sections of common photoinitiators, Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry 162:2-3:497-
502 (2004)
8. S. Martelli, A. Mancini, R. Giorgi, R. Alexandrescu, S. Cojocaru, A. Crunteanu, I. Voicu, Mihaela Balu, I. Morjan, Production
of iron-oxide nanoparticles by laser-induced pyrolysis of gaseous precursors, Applied Surface Science, 154-***-***-*** (2000)
Proceedings
9. Mihaela Balu, David J. Hagan, Eric W. Van Stryland, High Spectral Irradiance White-Light Continuum Z-scan Ultrafast
Phenomena XV: Proceedings of the 15th International Conference, Pacific Grove, CA, 2007 Springer
Magazines
10. Mihaela Balu, Joel Hales, David J. Hagan, Eric W. Van Stryland, Nonlinear spectrometer using a white-light continuum Z-
scan, Optics and Photonics News (Magazine of Optical Society of America), 16, Issue 12, 28 (December 2005)
Patents
Zhongping Chen, Mihaela Balu, Gangjun Liu, Bruce J. Tromberg, Eric O. Potma, System and Method for Efficient Coherence
Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering Endoscopic and Intravascular Imaging and Multimodal Imaging (filed 2009)
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
1. Mihaela Balu, Gangjun Liu, Zhongping Chen, Bruce J. Tromberg, Eric O. Potma, Fiber delivered probe for efficient CARS
imaging of tissues SPIE Photonics West, San Francisco, CA (January 2010) - poster presentation
2. Eric W. Van Stryland, Mihaela Balu, David J. Hagan, Gero Nootz, Scott Webster, Lazaro Padilha, Claudio Cirloganu, Peter
Olzsak, Seth Marder, Joe Perry, White-Light Continuum Z-scan Nonlinear Optical Spectroscopy, PQE XXXVII (Physics of
Quantum Electronics conference), Snowbird, Utah, Jan. 6-10, 2008 - invited talk
3. Lazaro Padilha, Gero Nootz, Mihaela Balu, David J. Hagan, Eric W. Van Stryland, Nonlinear Refraction of Semiconductor
Quantum Dots Using Single Wavelength and White-Light Continuum Z-scan, Nonlinear Optics (NLO), Kona, Hawaii, July 30-
August3, 2007 - oral presentation
4. Eric Van Stryland, David Hagan, Mihaela Balu, Jie Fu, Claudiu Cirloganu, Scott Webster, Measuring the Spectral Dependence
of Nonlinear Absorption and Refraction, Annual Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Polmer Branch, San Francisco,
Sept. 2006 - invited talk
5. Mihaela Balu, David J. Hagan, Eric W. Van Stryland, High Spectral Irradiance White-Light Continuum Z-scan, International
Conference on Ultrafast Phenomena, Pacific Grove, CA, July 31-August 4, 2006 - poster presentation
6. Mihaela Balu, David J. Hagan, Eric W. Van Stryland, Broadband Z-scan characterization of NLO Materials Using High
Energy, High Quality Supercontinuum Generated by Filamentation in Krypton International Symposium on Materials and
Devices for Nonlinear Optics, Dingle, Ireland, June-2006 - oral presentation
7. Mihaela Balu, David J. Hagan, Eric W. Van Stryland, Spectral Measurement of Nonlinear Absorption and Refraction Using a
White-Light Continuum Z-scan, Frontier in Optics/LS Annual Meeting, Tucson, AZ, October 2005 - oral presentation
8. Mihaela Balu, Joel Hales, David J. Hagan, Eric W. Van Stryland, Two-Photon Absorption and the Dispersion of Nonlinear
Refraction Using a White-Light Continuum Z-scan, SPIE, San Diego, CA, July 2005 - oral presentation
9. Eric W. Van Stryland, Mihaela Balu, Jie Fu, David J. Hagan, Degenerate and Nondegenerate Nonlinear Absorption and
Refraction, NOMA, Cetraro, Italy, June 2005 - oral presentation
10. Mihaela Balu, Joel Hales, David J. Hagan, Eric W. Van Stryland, Two-Photon Absorption and the Dispersion of Nonlinear
Refraction Using a White-Light Continuum Z-scan, CLEO/IQEC, Baltimore, MD, May 2005 - poster presentation
11. Mihaela Balu, Joel Hales, David J. Hagan, Eric W. Van Stryland, Z-scan using white-light continuum, OSA Annual Meeting,
Rochester, NY, October 2004 - oral presentation
12. Mihaela Balu, Joel Hales, David J. Hagan, Eric W. Van Stryland, White-light continuum Z-scan technique for nonlinear
materials characterization, Nonlinear Optics (NLO), Kona, Hawaii, August 2004 - oral presentation
13. Mihaela Balu, Joel Hales, David J. Hagan, Eric W. Van Stryland, White-light continuum Z-scan technique for nonlinear
materials characterization, CLEO/IQEC, San Francisco, CA, May 2004 - oral presentation
14. Jie Fu, Mihaela Balu, Joel Hales, David J. Hagan, Eric W. Van Stryland, Measurement of nondegenerate two-photon
absorption spectra of single-crystal polydiacetylene, CLEO/IQEC, San Francisco, CA, May 2004 - poster presentation
15. Ion Cohanoschi, Florencio E. Hernandez, Kevin D. Belfield, Mihaela Balu, Katherine J. Schafer, Three and four-photon
absorption of a multiphoton absorbing flurescent probe, CLEO/IQEC, San Francisco, CA, May 2004 - poster presentation
16. Kevin D. Belfield, Katherine J. Schafer, Joel M. Hales, Mihaela Balu, Eric W. Van Stryland, David J. Hagan, Two-photon
absorptivities of common photoinitiators via degenerate and nondegenerate nonlinear methods, Asia Radiation Curing
Technologies Conference, Yokohama, Japan, December 2003 - invited
17. Jie Fu, Mihaela Balu, Joel M. Hales, David J. Hagan, Eric W. Van Stryland, Fumiyo Yoshino, Measurement of nondegenerate
two-photon absorption (2PA) spectrum of single-crystal polydiacetylene, OISE, Orlando, FL, November 2003 - oral
presentation
18. Joel M. Hales, Katherine J. Schafer, Mihaela Balu, Kevin D. Belfield, Eric W. Van Stryland, David J. Hagan, Two-photon
absorption properties of commercial photoinitiators, SPIE Optics & Photonics, San Diego, CA, August 2003 - invited talk
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