Jessica Ramella-Roman
Florida International University, USAFor pioneering contributions to the study of polarized light transport in biological media through experimental and computational approaches.
Jessica Ramella-Roman works in biophotonics, more specifically in developing noninvasive diagnostic techniques. One current project, in collaboration with nurse practitioners and medical doctors at the University of Miami, concerns determining the risk of pre-term labor. Jessica and her team have developed a device that monitors the collagen in the cervix during pregnancy, which is a strong indicator of whether pre-term labor will occur. The team is also looking at cervical collagen fundamentally in animal models, using nonlinear microscopy and polarization-based microscopy to potentially develop other ways to predict and prevent pre-term labor, a serious worldwide problem affecting 10-15% of births.
Another project that could have a real-world impact is in collaboration with The Precise Advanced Technologies and Health Systems for Underserved Populations (PATHS-UP) Center. Jessica’s group is developing wearable devices that function across races and body types. Currently, some devices like pulse oximeters don’t function as well on patients with darker skin tones; the onset of obesity could potentially cause a similar loss of functionality. The issue with today’s devices is that the light does not penetrate deep enough for accurate readings when testing for diabetes and certain cardiovascular diseases. Her goal is to create devices that serve all skin types equally or specialized devices to serve every population.
Jessica’s background is in electrical engineering, and she only discovered biophotonics later in her studies. Her first exposure to biophotonics was also her first exposure to optics in general. This was during her fifth-year thesis project when she traveled to France for one year. However, she didn’t set forth immediately into the field. Instead, she worked with semiconductors in industry for several years before moving to the United States. Jessica learned of Steve Jacques at the University of Oregon and his foundational work in biophotonics. Ultimately, she joined the group, co-led by Scott Prahl, and completed her PhD. She reflects that their mentorship was pivotal for her success, always encouraging her to work “at the top of her game.” She shares, “Sometimes it is hard to push yourself to places you’re not sure you can reach, and they always had the attitude that we can do more.”
Today, she relies on collaborators and mentors to bridge the gap between the medical areas she aims to advance and her training and expertise in optics and electrical engineering. When starting a new project, Jessica dives deep and tries to learn as much as she can about the medical pieces, but she says the involvement of a dedicated physician is essential. This can be difficult but never impossible. Mala Mahendroo at The University of Texas Southwestern and Tatiana Novikova at Ecole Polytechnique IP Paris, France, are collaborators and mentors for Jessica today. Both of these women have inspired Jessica to continue striving despite the many challenges of academia and are wonderful teammates in research. Over the years, her students have also played a fundamental role in moving the research forward and keeping the work interesting and motivating.
Looking to the future, she sees many opportunities for young scientists to pursue. Biophotonics is still a relatively new field, and Jessica says we’re just scratching the surface of what could be possible. What has been accomplished already has been widely beneficial, and there’s much more coming in the future. She also observes that many of her students are choosing to enter industry rather than academia after completing their studies. While Jessica loves working with students and the academic setting, she acknowledges mounting challenges, such as increased competition for funding. She encourages her students to find what serves them individually and to follow their interests personally and professionally.
Photo Credit: Jessica Ramella-Roman
Profile written by Samantha Hornback
