Paras Prasad, executive director of the Institute for Lasers, Photonics and Biophotonics at the University at Buffalo (UB), has been named a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), a professional association devoted to advancing technology for humanity.

The honor recognizes Prasad’s contributions in biophotonics, nanophotonics and novel biomedical technology. At UB, Prasad is a SUNY Distinguished Professor in the departments of Chemistry, Physics, Medicine and Electrical Engineering. He is an internationally known expert on the study of light. In the 1990s, he became a pioneer in the field of light-based nanomedicine, which uses tiny, light-activated particles to diagnose, monitor and treat disease. Three decades later, he remains one of the most prominent thinkers in this field.

A prolific inventor and researcher, Prasad has received numerous regional, national and international awards for his lifetime achievements. At UB, Prasad has worked with colleagues to develop or study a wide range of new materials that could advance technology in health care and other fields, including miniature luminescent crystals that could be used in image-guided surgery, light-activated particles that could enable the development of new bioimaging technologies for disease detection and onion-like nanoparticles whose specially designed layers could convert invisible NIR light to higher energy blue and UV light efficiently. These advancements could improve the performance of technologies ranging from deep-tissue imaging to security inks used for printing money.

The IEEE is a professional association dedicated to the advancement of technology ranging from aerospace systems, computers and telecommunications to biomedical engineering, electric power and consumer electronics.