Washington University in St Louis

The Preston M. Green Department of
Electrical & Systems Engineering

Our innovations redefine how scientists see the invisible.

Lew Lab group photo

The Lew Lab integrates advanced optical design, computation, and biophysical chemistry to create multidimensional optical imaging systems that transcend conventional limits, thereby capturing molecular positions, orientations, chemical environments, and biomolecular interactions in unprecedented detail. The team collaborates across biochemistry, physics, and engineering to translate fundamental discoveries in nanoscale sensing into imaging technologies that accelerate breakthroughs in biology, medicine, and materials science.

We stand up for science.

We stand up for science
Flyer adapted from Stand Up for Science. Learn about how scientific research improves our health, our society, and our economy.

The Lew Lab is a team of inventors, thinkers, and problem solvers working at the intersection of science and technology.

Creating impactful technology is our passion.

Lab news

Upcoming talks

GRC logoJune 28-July 3, 2026: Matt will give an invited talk at the Single-Molecule Approaches to Biology Gordon Research Conference at the Les Diablerets Conference Center in Les Diablerets, Switzerland. He will speak on “Multidimensional Single-Molecule Imaging: Linking Rotational Dynamics to Biological Function.”

7th Midwest Single Molecule Workshop, July 22-24, 2026July 22-24, 2026: Matt will give an invited talk at the 7th Midwest Single Molecule Workshop at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Brian presents a student talk at the 2026 ISP retreat Brian gave a student talk at the 2026 Imaging Science Pathway retreat! Thanks for doing a great job representing the lab, Brian!

The lab congratulates and extends a warm welcome to Cynthia Cheng, who has received a Summer Undergraduate Research Guided Experience (SURGE) award! She will join us this summer to work on adaptive microscope design.

Spotlight on Optics BannerMatt's Spotlight on Optics commentary on “Surface orientation ambiguity for single molecules at dielectric interfaces” from Dey et al. is now online. Check it out!

SPIE Photonics West LogoYuanxin gave a talk in the “Single Molecule Spectroscopy and Superresolution Imaging XIX” session at SPIE Photonics West. He spoke on “Sensing negative cone rotational diffusion of dipole-like emitters.” Read about it here.

Our collaborative work with the Pappu lab, “Nuclear speckle proteins form intrinsic and MALAT1-dependent microphases”, is now online in Cell. Congratulations, Min Kyung!

More news...