Originally from Israel, Uri started his academic journey at Highline Community College in WA state after running a retail business for several years. In 2016, he transferred to the University of WA in Seattle as a Martin Honors scholar, completing a bachelor in Bioengineering and performing research focused on low-resource-settings diagnostics based on photonic microring resonators. While in Seattle, Uri became passionate about climbing beautiful mountains and playing speed chess. Uri also enjoys various entrepreneurship endeavors and promoting social justice causes. He served for several years on the board of an organization focused on promoting Middle East peace through dialog and education. Upon graduating cum laude in 2018, Uri traveled to the University of Chicago to start his PhD studies in molecular engineering.
BS
University of Washington; Seattle (2018)
Advisor: Professor Daniel Ratner
At UChicago, Uri is co-advised at the Esser-Kahn and Maurer labs, researching the unique applications of quantum technology in biological systems. Overall, Uri is aiming to develop and improve quantum biosensors for control and manipulation of cellular processes with nanoscale resolution. This effort includes three main thrusts:
- Improving surface functionalization and subcellular targeting techniques of nanodiamonds for their utilization as intracellular quantum sensors
- Developing models, investigating, and manipulating diamond surface properties to achieve improved sensing sensitivity (coherence)
- Exploring relevant and exciting biological questions that can be uniquely addressed with quantum biosensing, like monitoring and manipulating heat shock response on a subcellular level, and detecting subcellular metabolites concentrations
In the future, these tools will help us to detect, control, and even pathological events in the cellular level.