Meet the Team

NSF S-STEM

MULTICONTEXTUAL APPLICATIONS FOR EXCELLENCE IN UNDERGRADUATE STEM (MAXUS)

Meet the Team:

Jeff La Belle

Jeffrey T. LaBelle (J.T.L) is currently a Professor at Grand Canyon University, adjunct Professor at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine AZ, and President of labellelabs, IIC. He has a Ph.D. and M.S. in Biomedical Engineering from Arizona State University (ASU) and a M.S. and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Western New England University in Springfield, MA. J.T.L’s research lab at Grand Canyon University is home to multidisciplinary efforts consisting of three cores: biosensors, wearable technologies, and advanced manufacturing bridging disciplines from medical, to business, to engineering and science. His research lab has a vibrant history of biosensor and wearable sensor development and has been a forefront leader in the field of biosensors specifically regarding electrochemical impedance spectroscopy-based immunoassays. He has pursued research in electrochemistry and his lab has developed sensors for diabetes mellitus, cardiac disease, infectious disease, hormone therapy, and many more. All research has had an emphasis on design for manufacturing and for the end user to ensure the technology will get to market. During the past 10 years of his tenure as the PI conducting academic research, he has brought in over $7.6 million in grant funding from a combination of NIH, NSF, DOD, DARPA, industry, and foundations. His research lab is a state-of-the-art brand-new lab space that has the full capability to design and test new biosensors as well as the ability to self-manufacture sensors to ensure there are no limitation on the type of sensor developed. Throughout his 20 years as a researcher, professor, and entrepreneur he has had over 120 patent disclosures, 60+ patent applications, 13 licensed technologies, and 19 award patents while generating over 70 publications and attended many domestic and international conferences. Many of these projects were done in collaboration with colleagues at the Mayo Clinic Arizona where world leading physicians advise in the clinical need and application of these projects to ensure clinical feasibility and use. In addition to academic research, he has cultivated strong relationships with local companies in the medical device industry who regularly sponsor lab projects and assisted start-ups and retrained workforces in Maricopa County interested in MedTech Ventures.

Michael Awaah

Co-PI

Jon Valla

Administrative Coordinator

Jon Valla is currently an Associate Dean for the College of Natural Sciences at GCU. He has served in the college’s administration since 2015, with most of that time including service to the predecessor College of Science, Engineering and Technology. Dr. Valla received his PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience in 1999 from the University of Texas at Austin and immediately transferred to the Phoenix area to work within the fledgling Arizona Alzheimer’s Consortium as a neuroscientist. He completed postdoctoral work at the Harrington Research Center before transitioning to a faculty scientist role at the Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph’s Hospital & Medical Center in Phoenix, and ultimately to Associate Professor of Biochemistry at the Midwestern University College of Medicine in Glendale. At each institution, he led research efforts focused on Alzheimer’s disease, mitochondrial function, brain energy metabolism, and novel diagnostics, resulting in multiple publications and patents. Additionally during this time, he mentored several dozen undergraduate, graduate, and medical students in comprehensive research experiences. In his current role at GCU, Dr. Valla specializes in academic success interventions, student support, graduate school and research career advising.

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