Research Overview—
Rosa-Molinar and his group apply to multi-scale multi-modal correlated volume resin microscopies a systems engineering process concept known as “imaging chain” that includes determining provenance, searching, mining, processing, analyzing, displaying, storing, and managing datasets. The imaging chain enables the group to develop, refine, and use imaging tools and reagents to create image data sets required to unravel synapses’ three-dimensional nano-scale geometry and molecular diversity. They are particularly interested in electrical synapses (e.g., gap junctions), specifically “mixed synapses,” a poorly studied synapse that combines the features of both chemical and electrical synapses.
Student, staff, and faculty training in the laboratory and in workshops focuses on preparing a diverse and inclusive workforce of neuroscientists, microscopists, and neurotechnology developers required to advance science.
Research Interests
He and his group’s research interest is in the emerging field of neurotechnology, specifically developing/refining reagents, tools, and workflows for multi-scale multi-modal correlated volume resin microscopies required to determine the three-dimensional nano-scale geometry and molecular diversity of synapses. They are particularly interested in electrical synapses (e.g., gap junctions), specifically “mixed synapses,” a poorly studied synapse that combines the features of both chemical and electrical synapses.

Lab Members —
Assistant Researchers
Former Members
Name | Title | Post KU |
---|---|---|
Aidyn Medina-Lopez | Graduate Student | Lead Applications Scientist, Ronawk, Inc., Olathe, KS |
Joe Farthing |
Graduate Student | CritiTech Particle Engineering Solutions, Lawrence, KS |
Noraida Martinez-Rivera, Ph.D. | Postdoctoral Researcher | Correlative Light and Electron Microscopist in the KU Microscopy and Analytical Imaging Research Resource Core Lab |
Natasha Roman-Ortiz | Assistant Researcher Post-Baccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP) Fellow |
Ph.D. student, University of Minnesota |
Carolina Santiago-Robles | Assistant Researcher Post-Baccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP) Fellow |
Ph.D. student, Columbia University |
Heather Shinogle-Decker | Graduate Student Neuroscience/MAI Laboratory Research Director |
Ronawk LLC, Olathe, KS |