Overview
The MESA Laboratory (Microfluidics and Electrokinetics bioSeparations and Analysis) designs micro and nanoscale devices that use electric fields to sort and characterize biological particles. Our core tool, dielectrophoresis, moves each particle in a nonuniform field according to how it stores and conducts charge. These signatures track nanoscale changes in membrane structure, surface charge, and interfacial polarization. We profile bacteria, fungi, blood and immune cells, and stem cells, pairing the data with finite element modeling and machine learning. Applications include point of care diagnostics, stem cell sorting, rare earth element biosorption, organ on a chip platforms, and microgravity biophysics.
Awards
-Best Paper Award and Editor's Choice Article, Biosensors (MDPI), 2026
-Statler Outstanding Educator Award, West Virginia University, 2026
-Statler Educator of the Year, West Virginia University, 2026
-Travis Stimeling Award for Mentoring Undergraduates in Research, West Virginia University, 2024
-Statler Outstanding Researcher Award (Junior Category), West Virginia University, 2024
-Hot Paper on Wearable Biosensors Research, Biosensors (MDPI), 2022
-Featured Article, Biophysics Reviews, 2020
-Featured Article, Applied Physics Reviews, 2019
-NIH Mentee Award (GUMSHOE), 2016 and 2019
-Innovative Engineering Educator, National Academy of Engineering Frontiers of Engineering Education, 2015
-WEPAN Inclusive Educator Excellence Award, 2015
Selected Publications
Simulated Microgravity Induces Rapid Dielectric Shifts in Erythrocytes of Pancreatic Cancer Patients. Yaram SDR, Bostic A, Smalley A, Srivastava SK, ACS Nanoscience Au, 6, 224-234, (2026) View Abstract
Dielectrophoretic Profiling of Candida auris: The Effect of Glucose on Cellular Polarizability. Farhang-Doost N, Royo CSC, Niepa THR, Srivastava SK, ACS Measurement Science Au, 5, 805-813, (2025) View Abstract
Modeling and simulation of electrokinetic sorting of tenogenically differentiating mesenchymal stem cells for high throughput. Oladokun R, Srivastava SK, Schiele NR, Pei M, Physics of Fluids, 36, 121914, (2024) View Abstract
Utilization of dielectrophoresis for the quantification of rare earth elements adsorbed on Cupriavidus necator. Adekanmbi EO, Giduthuri AT, Waymire S, Srivastava SK, ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 8, 1353-1361, (2020) View Abstract
Dielectric characterization of bioparticles via electrokinetics: The past, present, and the future. Adekanmbi EO, Srivastava SK , Applied Physics Reviews, 6, 041313, (2019) View Abstract
Education
Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, Mississippi State UniversityM.S., Chemical Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago
B.S., Chemical Engineering, R.V. College of Engineering, Bangalore, India