MTL News Archives for 2012

Core Faculty Profile: Polina Anikeeva


February 7, 2012

This is part of an ongoing series about new MTL core faculty members.

photo_anikeeva.jpgProf. Polina Anikeeva joined DMSE as the AMAX Assistant Professor in Materials Science and Engineering in 2011. Her current research is centered on development of novel non-invasive methods for in vivo neural stimulation and design of opto-electronic devices for simultaneous recording and stimulation of neural circuits.

When asked to describe her research interests, Dr. Anikeeva writes, "There is a missing link between laboratory and clinical neuroscience research and industrial medical device development. I intend to bridge the gap between those two worlds by developing hybrid functional materials and devices for clinical applications. . . . My initial research will focus on projects dedicated to the development of hybrid materials and devices that act as interpreters between man-made electronics and neural circuits through the conversion of electromagnetic (EM) field energy in the form of radio-frequency (RF) field or light into a change of the electrochemical potential across cellular membranes." She is enthusiastic about pursuing her research interests at MIT, where collaborations between colleagues, departments, and schools create innovations almost daily.

She explains that, "While research is a very significant part, of my life, I cannot possibly imagine a fulfilling career without teaching. My goal, as a future teacher, is to infect the students with my curiosity for materials science and to inspire them to become future academic and industry leaders in the field." She hopes to create a subject that teaches hybrid organic-nanoparticle optoelectronics, offering students hands-on lab sessions.