Ashok Samuel

Education

• 2006-2012 Ph.D. Raman Spectroscopy, Polymer Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore

Academic Positions

• 2017 - 2023. Assistant Professor (Research), Research Organization for Nano & Life Innovation, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
• 2023 - Present. Research Associate Professor, Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign (UIUC), USA.

Research Interests

• Cancer Metastasis: Tumor aggressiveness, metabolic biomarkers and drug response
• Bioimages To Molecules: Biochemical-specific label-free live-cell imaging
• Interdisciplinary Solutions: Integrating optical imaging techniques
• 3D Tumor Spheroid Models: Phenotype-dependent drug responses in cancer
• Next-Generation Diagnostic Tools: Developing biochemically informed tissue diagnostics.
• Advanced Raman imaging: Biochemically Unique Cell Phenotypes

Selected Articles in Journals

• Samuel, A. Z.,* “Direct estimation of polymer crystallinity with Raman spectroscopy using ratio of scattering cross-sections estimated from variable temperature measurements” Spectrochim. Acta A. 2020.
• Samuel, A. Z.,* Sugiyama, K., Ando, M., Takeyama, H. “Direct imaging of intracellular RNA, DNA, and liquid-liquid phase separated membraneless organelles with Raman microspectroscopy”. Commun. Biol. 2022.
• Samuel, A. Z.,* Sugiyama, K., Takeyama, H. “Direct intracellular detection of biomolecule specific bound-water with Raman spectroscopy”. Spectrochim Acta A Mol. Biomol. Spectrosc. 2023.
• Hur, S. W.; Kwon, M.; Manoharaan, R.; Mohammadi, M. H.; Samuel, A. Z.; Mulligan, M. P.; Hergenrother, P. J.; Bhargava, R. Capturing cell morphology dynamics with high temporal resolution using single-shot quantitative phase gradient imaging. J. Biomed. Opt. 2024
• Sivaguru, M.; Mori, S.; Fouke, K. W.; Ajijola, O. A.; Shivkumar, K.; Samuel, A.; Bhargava, R.; Fouke, B. W. Osteopontin stabilization and collagen containment slows amorphous calcium phosphate transformation during human aortic valve leaflet calcification. Sci. Rep. 2024

Pending Articles

• Ashok Zachariah Samuel, Revathi Manohaaran, Kannanganattu V. Prasanth, Rohit Bhargava. Raman spectroscopic imaging to measure breast cancer spheroid architecture, drug-induced biochemical changes, and cell-matrix interactions. 2025.
• Mayandi Sivaguru, Sarah E. Schrup, Kyle W. Fouke, Mark E. Sherman, Ashok Z. Samuel, Santo Maimone, Rohit Bhargava, and Bruce W. Fouke* Mechanisms of Osteopontin-Stabilized Amorphous Calcium Phosphate Calcification in Benign and Pre-Malignant Breast Disease. 2025.

Journal Editorships

• Guest Editor, Frontiers in Plant Science, 2022-2023

Honors

• Junior Research Fellowship, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, India (2005)
• Dr. J. C. Ghosh medal, Indian Institute of Science, India (2013)

Research Honors

• Early Career Researcher Award, Society for Applied Spectroscopy, USA. (2013)