Xingcheng (Cindy) Zhou

Xingcheng (Cindy) Zhou is a PhD candidate whose research lies at the intersection of biology, electrochemistry, and small-molecule chemistry. Specifically, Cindy is working to develop accurate, low-cost diagnostic tools for infectious disease in low-resource settings. Her current work, supported by a MathWorks Fellowship, includes the creation of an electrochemical sensor for antibiotic screening, as an electrochemical Covid-19 diagnostic. The broader aim of her research is to develop inexpensive and accessible electrochemical sensors to accurately diagnose infectious diseases, both bacterial and viral, by conjugating biomolecules on the surface of electrodes to capture disease biomarkers and convert the capture to an electrical signal. Cindy has made extensive and innovative use of MATLAB to analyze the signals and model the sensors, advancing her own work and that of her colleagues. As she builds and refines new biosensor models, Cindy will share these tools with the MathWorks and electrochemistry community. Her research has significant potential to advance the use of biosensors in human health and to improve quality of life for vulnerable populations through accurate, economical, and facile detection of infectious diseases.