Catherine Alicia Best-Popescu

Catherine Alicia Best-Popescu is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Bioengineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), with affiliations in the Beckman Institute and Neuroscience Program. She specializes in quantitative phase imaging (QPI) and cellular neuroscience, focusing on neurological disorders such as Glioblastoma, Multiple Sclerosis, and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Her work bridges bioengineering, neuroscience, and medicine, utilizing advanced optical microscopy techniques like Spatial Light Interference Microscopy (SLIM).

Education: B.S. in Biology and Psychology (University of Massachusetts), M.S. and Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences (Northeastern University). Postdoctoral training at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard University.

Research interests include developing label-free imaging tools for disease etiology, particularly in neurodegenerative and traumatic brain conditions. Her lab, the Cellular Neuroscience Imaging Lab (CNI), employs quantitative phase imaging to study cellular processes and disease mechanisms. She also led the SHIELD Saliva COVID-19 Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, processing 10,000–20,000 daily samples during the pandemic.

Publications highlight contributions to SARS-CoV-2 detection, neuroimaging advancements, and optical techniques in neuroscience. Awards include the Golden Apple Award for teaching and recognition for pandemic-related efforts. She holds leadership roles in committees for curricular development, diversity initiatives, and medical education.

Her lab hosts 4 graduate and 10 undergraduate students, emphasizing undergraduate education and mentorship. Current projects include neural network applications for imaging analysis and engineered tumor models for therapeutic evaluation.