Contact Information
University of Illinois
600 S Mathews Ave
208 RAL, MC-712
Urbana, IL 61801
Research Description
The Kraft group combines engineering principles and cutting-edge imaging technologies to overcome barriers to progress in biomedical research. We focus on identifying, and exploiting the relationship between cell composition and biological function. A key aspect of our research is the combination of computational statistics with chemical imaging techniques for quantitative single cell analysis with location specificity. We are using our new tools to solve problems in a broad range of biomedical research areas. This includes applied research in directing stem cell differentiation for tissue engineering and the design of efficient drug delivery vehicles. We also perform basic research on influenza virus replication.
Additional Campus Affiliations
Associate Professor, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Director of Graduate Studies, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Associate Professor, Micro and Nanotechnology Lab
Co-Chair, Institutional Biosafety Committee, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation
Chien Family Professorial Scholar, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Recent Publications
Pastrana-Otero, I., Godbole, A. R., & Kraft, M. L. (2025). Noninvasive and in situ identification of the phenotypes and differentiation stages of individual living cells entrapped within hydrogels. Analyst, 150(10), 2047-2057. https://doi.org/10.1039/d4an00800f
Brunet, M. A., & Kraft, M. L. (2023). Toward Understanding the Subcellular Distributions of Cholesterol and Sphingolipids Using High-Resolution NanoSIMS Imaging. Accounts of chemical research, 56(7), 752-762. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.accounts.2c00760
Brunet, M. A., Gorman, B. L., & Kraft, M. L. (2022). Depth Correction of 3D NanoSIMS Images Shows Intracellular Lipid and Cholesterol Distributions while Capturing the Effects of Differential Sputter Rate. ACS Nano, 16(10), 16221-16233. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.2c05148
Pastrana-Otero, I., Majumdar, S., Gilchrist, A. E., Harley, B. A. C., & Kraft, M. L. (2022). Identification of the Differentiation Stages of Living Cells from the Six Most Immature Murine Hematopoietic Cell Populations by Multivariate Analysis of Single-Cell Raman Spectra. Analytical Chemistry, 94(35), 11999-12007. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.2c00714
Gorman, B. L., Brunet, M. A., & Kraft, M. L. (2021). Depth correction of 3D NanoSIMS images using secondary electron pixel intensities. Biointerphases, 16(4), 1ENG. Article 041005. https://doi.org/10.1116/6.0001092