Rate My Professor Samarendra Mohanty

Samarendra Mohanty served as Assistant Professor of Physics in the Department of Physics at the University of Texas at Arlington, where he led the Biophysics and Physiology Lab in the College of Science. His academic background includes a PhD in Biophysics from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, and an M.Tech in Applied Optics from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi. Prior to his appointment at UTA, Mohanty held positions as a senior scientist and visiting professor at institutions including the University of California, Irvine; University of Pavia, Italy; National University of Singapore; and University of St. Andrews, UK. At UTA, he supervised doctoral dissertations in Physics and Applied Physics, focusing on topics such as laser-assisted transfection, optogenetic stimulation, and laser-based repulsive axonal guidance. Mohanty delivered a Focus on Faculty lecture in 2014 titled "Light-controlled construction, control, and understanding of neuronal circuitry." His research at UTA centered on optical techniques for manipulating and understanding cellular and neuronal processes, including optogenetic stimulation of the brain for pain relief, spatial temperature gradients for axonal outgrowth guidance, and photonics advances for biomedical applications. Key publications from his UTA tenure include "Broadband activation by white-opsin lowers intensity threshold for cellular stimulation" (Scientific Reports, 2015), "Spatial temperature gradients guide axonal outgrowth" (Scientific Reports, 2016), "Optically-actuated translational and rotational motion at the microscale for microfluidic manipulation" (Lab on a Chip, 2012), and "Fiber-optic rotation of micro-scale structures enabled microfluidic pumping" (Applied Physics Letters, 2012). Mohanty received NIH funding, including a $200,000 grant in 2015 for biomechanical profiling of cells and another for optogenetics research conducted with bioengineering colleagues. He earned recognition through UTA faculty awards and contributed to advancements bridging physics and biology, influencing fields like neurophotonics and optogenetics. Mohanty chaired international conferences on optogenetics and served on editorial boards of scientific journals. His work has garnered over 3,200 citations, reflecting significant impact in biophysics and biomedical optics.