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Dr. Renny Fernandez

Dr. Renny FernandezDr. Renny Fernandez
Assistant Professor
Office: RTC 410K
Office Phone: (757) 823-0036
FAX: (757) 823-2698
Email: refernandez@nsu.edu

Brief Biography

Renny Edwin Fernandez is an assistant Professor at the department of Engineering, Norfolk State University.  He graduated from the Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras in 2010. Formerly, he worked as a postdoctoral associate with various research groups at University of Utah, Wireless Nanocluster Lab, Utah State University-Biological Engineering, Southern Methodist University, Mechanical Engineering and University of Virginia- Electrical Engineering. Prior to joining NSU, Dr. Fernandez served as a visiting assistant professor at University of Indianapolis and Florida International University.

Dr. Fernandez is a multidisciplinary researcher with a focus on building microsensing platforms for detecting electrical signatures at the event of a chemical/ biological reaction. His research work combines concepts of microfabrication, microfluidics, microelectronics, analytical chemistry and molecular biology to create solutions in healthcare, pollution control and agriculture. He has developed point-of-care devices and disposable electrodes to detect biomarkers from sweat, saliva and blood. Dr. Fernandez has over 20 Journal publications and 30+ conference presentations and a patent to his name. NSU graduates and undergrads looking to do research should contact Dr. Fernandez an opportunity. 

Detailed CV of Dr. Fernandez


Research Interests

  • His research interests include:
  • Microdevice fabrication 
  • DNA based sensing 
  • wearable biosensors 
  • AC electrokinetic based cell detection platforms droplet microfluidic systems 

Recent Publications

  • Renny Edwin Fernandez, Carlos Mastrangelo: Compositions and methods for sequencing   DNA.  University of Utah research foundation, : wo/2012/061726
  • Renny Edwin Fernandez, Yogeswaran Umasankar, Pandiaraj Manickam, Jeffrey C. Nickel, Laura R. Iwasaki, Burt K. Kawamoto, Kristen C. Todoki, JoAnna M. Scott, Shekhar Bhansali, Disposable apta-sensor aided by magnetic nanoparticle enrichment for detection of ultradian rhythm of salivary cortisol, Scientific Reports, 2017
  • Renny Edwin Fernandez, Sanghavi, B. J., Farmehini, V., Chávez, J. L., Hagen, J., Kelley-Loughnane, N., ... & Swami, N. S. (2016). Aptamer-functionalized graphene-gold nanocomposites for label-free detection of dielectrophoretic-enriched neuropeptide Y. Electrochemistry Communications, 72, 144-147.
  • Burton, L., Renny Edwin Fernandez, & Bhansali, S. (2018). Smart Gardening IoT Soil Sheets for Real-Time Nutrient Analysis. Journal of the Electrochemical Society, 165(8), B3157-B3162.
  • Renny Edwin Fernandez, Lebiga, E., Koklu, A., Sabuncu, A. C., & Beskok, A. (2015). Flexible Bioimpedance Sensor for Label-Free Detection of Cell Viability and Biomass. NanoBioscience, IEEE Transactions on, 14(7), 700-706.
  • Lebiga, E., Renny Edwin Fernandez, & Beskok, A. (2015). Confined chemiluminescence detection of nanomolar levels of H2O2 in a paper–plastic disposable microfluidic device using a smart phone. Analyst, 140(15), 5006-5011.
  • Renny Edwin Fernandez, Carlos H. Mastrangelo, Direct imaging of DNA motif sequences with encoded nanoparticles, New Biotechnology, Volume 29, Issue 3, 15 February 2012, Pages 279-284.