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





