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Principal Investigators

Dennis Matthews, PhD
Dennis L. Matthews, Ph.D.

Principal Investigator


Dr. Matthews is Director Emeritus of the NSF Center for Biophotonics Science and Technology (CBST) and Associate Director Emeritus for Biomedical Technology for the Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of California at Davis. He is also a professor emeritus in the Department of Neurological Surgery and a member of the Biomedical Engineering, Applied Sciences and Clinical Sciences Graduate Groups.  He is also a previous Program Leader and Division Leader at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and is currently in charge developing new program opportunities there. He is the co-founder of the Tahoe Institute for Rural Health Research, the University of California Biophotonics Alliance and the Biophotonics4Life Worldwide Consortium. 

Dr. Matthews is President of LifeLight Resources LLC, Chief Scientist at TIRHR and Chief Technology Officer, Cardiac Motion LLC.

While he is credited with inventing and developing x-ray wavelength lasers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Dr. Matthews' continuing interest is in the translation and commercialization of new physical science and engineering technologies for grand challenges in medicine and the life sciences. His current interests are in developing optical and x-ray technologies for disease diagnosis and treatment.  He has more than 270 publications and 30 patents and is the co-editor of the Journal of Biophotonics.  Dr. Matthews is credited with raising more than $150M in grant funds, helping create 10 startup companies and directing R&D programs as large as $35M/yr.  


Dr. Kyriacos Athanasiou

Kyriacos A. Athanasiou, Ph.D., P.E.

Co-Principal Investigator


Dr. Athanasiou is a Distinguished Professor and the Chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of California Davis.  His areas of research interests include theoretical and experimental bioengineering, from tissue engineering, orthopaedic biomechanics and biomaterials, to articular cartilage healing and cell mechanics.  He has published over 230 peer-reviewed papers, 4 authored books, and 28 patents.  He has served as President of the Biomedical Engineering Society and received numerous honors and awards.  Dr. Athanasiou was the overall winner and the winner of the top prize in the Medical Devices category of the Well Street Journal's 2008 Innovation Award competition.  He received the Hershel M. Rich Outstanding Invention Award in 2006 and 2008.