Biography
About Han
My name is Han Lee and I am a researcher, engineer, and U.S. Army veteran. I am currently a Ph.D. candidate at Prof. Cunningham’s Nanosensors group in Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I earned my B.S. in ECE from Binghamton University (2014) and served as a Human Resources Sergeant in the U.S. Army from 2015–2019.
My research focuses on the development of novel Point-of-Care (POC) cancer and disease detection platforms, with a strong emphasis on diagnostic device instrumentation and machine learning-driven data analysis. Translational diagnostics inherently require the integration of breakthroughs across biochemistry, instrumentation, and data science. Due to its multidisciplinary nature, this field thrives on collaboration and demands clear communication among researchers to align scientific objectives and technical approaches. Throughout my Ph.D., I’ve come to recognize a critical importance of systems-level understanding—spanning from assay execution to diagnostic result delivery—in driving meaningful innovation, an insight that continues to shape my approach to research and development.
What motivates me
I am deeply motivated by the opportunity to contribute to translational medicine through practical innovations that deliver immediate real world impact. Over the past decades, we have seen remarkable progress in highly sensitive and specific assays for detecting biomolecules in bodily fluids, along with major advances in signal transduction methods. However, turning these breakthroughs into accessible tools for everyday use remains a significant challenge. Through my research, I aim to bridge that gap by extending the reach of cutting edge diagnostic technologies beyond the lab and into real world settings. I am currently building a fully automated single molecule detection system that expands on my previous work in LOCA PRAM, a deep learning enabled, image based diagnostic method that supports digital resolution biomolecule detection. This work is driven by the goal of decentralizing diagnostics and making early disease and cancer detection more accessible across all communities.
Outside of laboratory
My personal hobbies are playing tennis, running marathon, and camping. Recently, I have completed a half marathon, which was an amazing experience. I am training myself for the full marathon next year.
