Meng Cui

Meng Cui is an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Biology at Purdue University. He received his PhD in Physics from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and served as a Janelia Lab Head at Howard Hughes Medical Institute (2010–2015). His research focuses on neurophotonics and biomedical imaging, particularly on developing transformative technologies for deep brain imaging and multiscale neural interface.

• Current Affiliation: Purdue University
• Alumni Affiliation: Howard Hughes Medical Institute
• Education: PhD in Physics (University of Michigan at Ann Arbor)

His research has received major NIH grants including the BRAIN Initiative U01 and R01 awards. Key inventions include the COMPACT (Clear Optically Matched Panoramic Access Channel Technique), Optical Gearbox, and GTAO (Geometric Transformation Adaptive Optics), which significantly advance deep tissue imaging and high-speed neural recording.

His lab has produced 15+ high-impact publications in journals like Nature Methods, Nature Communications, and Optics Express, covering neurophotonic tools, adaptive optics, computational imaging, and wavefront engineering. Collaborations span institutions including UCSD, University of Michigan, and UT Southwestern.

• Scientific Awards: Purdue Faculty Scholar (2025), Hitachi High-Tech Best Presentation Award (2023), NIH Grants (2024–2019)
• Current Students: Jiaxuan Xu, Yuting Li, Hehai Jiang, Jianian Lin, Chenmao Wang, Shiyi Sun
• Notable Alumni: Lingjie Kong (Tsinghua), Jung-Hoon Park (UNIST), Reto Fiolka (UT Southwestern)

The Cui Research Group operates in the Bindley Bioscience Center, emphasizing the synergy of teaching, research, and technology development. Recent projects include high-throughput imaging systems, ultra-low light videography, and whole mammalian brain neurophotonic interfaces.