M. Selim Ünlü

M. Selim Ünlü is a Distinguished Professor at Boston University, with primary appointments in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and affiliations with the Division of Materials Science & Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Physics, and Precision Diagnostics Center. Holding a PhD from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (1992), his research spans Biophotonics, Nanophotonics, and Biosensors, focusing on biological imaging, semiconductor device analysis, and label-free detection systems.

• Education: PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (1992)

His work on interferometric reflectance imaging sensors (IRIS) and mid-infrared photothermal microscopy enables single-particle detection of viruses, microorganisms, and biomolecules. He has pioneered disposable fluidic cartridges, dynamic tracking algorithms, and bond-selective imaging techniques. Recent research includes applications for Monkeypox detection, extracellular vesicle profiling, and neuropharmaceutical compound sensing.

The 15 most recent articles highlight advancements in label-free biosensors, flat-field imaging, and computational nanosensing, with interdisciplinary applications in virology, diagnostics, and semiconductor metrology. Key subfields include viral fingerprinting, surface chemistry optimization, and AI-enhanced microscopy.

• Fellow, AIMBE (2020)
• Fellow, Optica (2017)
• Fellow, IEEE (2007)
• NSF CAREER Award (1996)
• Boston University Innovator of the Year Award (2021)

He has served as Editor-in-Chief of the IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics and held leadership roles in IEEE and Optica. His teaching includes courses on circuits, optics, and advanced topics in electro-physics.