Gracie Vargas

Gracie Vargas is a Professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology & Anatomy. Her research focuses on optical techniques for disease monitoring, particularly changes in tissue microstructure and biochemical makeup during pathology.

• PhD in Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin
• MS in Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin
• B.A. in Physics, Gustavus Adolphus College

Research Interests:

• Development of multiphoton microscopy and optical coherence tomography for disease progression monitoring
• Applications in head/neck cancers, Alzheimer's disease, and pulmonary fibrosis
• Focus on autofluorescence, scattering, and molecular contrast agents

Article Trends (2018-2025):

• Advancements in handheld optical probes for clinical translation
• Development of multimodal imaging workflows combining widefield fluorescence with nonlinear microscopy
• Applications spanning oral neoplasia detection, retinal degeneration, and infectious disease imaging

Labs & Collaborations:

• UTMB Center for Cancers of the Head and Neck
• UTMB Center for Addiction Research
• Collaborations in bioengineered lung transplantation and ovine vaginal microbiome research