Cristina Rodríguez
Website:
Rodriguez Lab- Ph.D., The University of New Mexico
- B.S., Universidad Simón Bolívar, Venezuela
Interests:
Dr. Rodríguez's research focuses on developing and applying novel optical imaging technologies for studying the structure and function of living systems at depth and with high resolution. Through a multidisciplinary approach involving physics, nonlinear optics, and advanced optical imaging modalities, Dr. Rodríguez pushes the limits of in vivo deep tissue imaging and advances our understanding of previously underexplored biology, while contributing to the education and training of the next generation of diverse scientists.
In particular, the Rodríguez lab investigates how tactile information is processed and relayed in the mouse spinal cord, and how the coding scheme changes under pathological conditions, using three-photon microscopy along with adaptive optics and other novel optical tools. The Rodríguez lab also develops novel imaging probes, for applications including deep tissue vasculature imaging, cell tracking, light-activated therapeutic delivery systems, and optogenetic manipulation of neural circuits.
The Rodríguez lab is a welcoming space, supporting people of all backgrounds and allowing all members to thrive as scientists and human beings.
Selected Awards & Honors:
- Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Awards at the Scientific Interface (2020-2025)
- Beckman Young Investigator Award (2024)
- ISFS (Intersections Science Fellows Symposium) Fellow (2021)
- American Association of Physics Teachers award for outstanding TA's (2008)
Selected Publications:
- Rodríguez, C., Chen, A., Rivera, J. A., Mohr, M. A., Liang, Y., Natan, R., Sun, W., Milkie, D. E., Bifano, T. G., Chen, X., Ji, N.: An adaptive optics module for deep tissue multiphoton imaging in vivo, Nature Methods, 18, 1259 (featured in the journal's cover) (2021)
- Rodríguez, C., and Ji, N.: One wavelength to excite them all: deep tissue imaging going multicolor, Trends in Neurosciences, 44, 689 (2021)
- Rodríguez, C., and Ji, N.: Adaptive optical microscopy for neurobiology, Current Opinion in Neurobiology, 50, 83 (2018)
- Rodríguez, C., Liang, Y., Lu, R., and Ji, N.: Three-photon fluorescence microscopy with an axially elongated Bessel focus, Optics Letter, 43, 1914 (2018)
- Rodríguez, C. and Rudolph, W.: Frequency tripling mirror, Optics Express, 23, 31594 (2015)
- Rodríguez, C. and Rudolph, W.: Modeling third-harmonic generation from layered materials using nonlinear optical matrices, Optics Express, 22, 25984 (2014)
- Rodríguez, C. and Rudolph, W.: Characterization and χ⁽³⁾ measurements of thin films by third-harmonic microscopy. Optics Letters, 39, 6042 (2014)
- Weber, R. A., Rodríguez, C., Nguyen, D. N., Emmert, L. A., and Rudolph, W: Third harmonic microscopy of intrinsic and induced material anisotropy in dielectric thin films, Optical Engineering, 51, 121807 (2012)
- Rodríguez, C., Sun, Z., Wang, Z., and Rudolph, W.: Characterization of laser-induced air plasmas by third harmonic generation, Optics Express, 19, 16115 (2011)
- Rodríguez, C., Taylor, G. B., Zavala, R. T., Pihlström, Y. M., and Peck, A. B.: HI Observations of the Supermassive Binary Black Hole System in 0402+379, Astrophysical Journal, 697, 37 (2009)
- Gentile, G., Rodríguez, C., Taylor, G. B., Giovannini, G., Allen, S. W., Lane, W. M., and Kassim, N. E.: Monitoring the Bi-Directional Relativistic Jets of the Radio Galaxy 3C338, Astrophysical Journal, 659, 225 (2007)
- Rodríguez, C., Taylor, G. B., Zavala, R. T., Peck, A. B., Pollack, L. K., and Romani, R. W.: A Compact Supermassive Binary Black Hole System, Astrophysical Journal, 646, 49 (2006)