Richard C. Prince, PhD | Biophotonics & Bioengineering

Engineering, Engineering Technology, Interior Architecture, and Surveying

Photo of Richard C. Prince, PhD Program Coordinator and Assistant Professor 

Richard C. Prince, PhD

Program Coordinator and Assistant Professor Engineering, Engineering Technology, Interior Architecture, and Surveying

Biography & Orcid Profile

Dr. Richard C. Prince is an Assistant Professor of Engineering and the Biomedical Engineering Technology (BMET) Coordinator at East Tennessee State University. He earned his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering with a specialization in Biophotonics from the University of California, Irvine, under the direction of Professor Eric Potma, where he was a recipient of the NSF IGERT fellowship. He has successfully secured over $1.3 million in grants to advance workforce development in biomanufacturing within the Appalachian Highlands. An accomplished educator and researcher, Dr. Prince is deeply committed to advancing science education and empowering students to innovate in science and engineering.

Research Interests

Dr. Prince leads the Laboratory for Advanced Microscopy and Bioengineering (LAMB) with research focused on biophotonics, nonlinear optical imaging, open-hardware, and bioengineering innovation. He is particularly interested in the development of Raman microspectroscopy and novel spectral imaging techniques for studying biological systems and as a process analytics tool in biomanufacturing. His work explores the intersection of optical technologies and biomedical applications, including lipid metabolism, contrast-free tissue imaging, and single-cell metabolomics. In addition, Dr. Prince is passionate about leveraging synthetic biology and engineering to address regional and national needs in biotechnology to serve the Appalachian Highlands

Current projects include the development of bioengineering and biomanufacturing curriuclum through project-based learning, study and analysis of oleaginous yeasts growth processes through Raman spectroscopy, and the development of novel imaging techniques to study tissue recovery after myocardial infarction. Dr. Prince welcomes inquiries from interested and motivated students seeking to expand their knowledge and skillset through laboratory experience.

Interested students can learn more about the LAMB and current research projects by following this link.

Education

  • PhD, Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, 2021
  • M.S., Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, 2018
  • B.A., College Scholars, University of Tennessee, 2015

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

 

  

1. 

 Ramos, R., Pham, K. T., Prince, R. C. et. al., Superstable lipid vacuoles endow cartilage with its shape and biomechanics, Science, 2025, Vol 387, Issue 6730 DOI:10.1126/science.ads9960

2.

 Prince, R. C., & MIMS, P., & Kilaru, A., & Jorgenson, E., Biomanufacturing & Engineering for the Appalachian Highlands: Updates on the Development of a Scalable Bioengineering Program in Rural Settings, 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. DOI: 10.18260/1-2--46652
3. Sun Woong Kim, Chang Rae Rho, Jinseor Kim, Yilu Xie, Richard C. Prince, Khawla Mustafa, Eric O. Potma, Donald J. Brown, James V. Jester, Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) activates PPARγ signaling leading to cell cycle exit, lipid accumulation, and autophagy in human meibomian gland epithelial cells (hMGEC), The Ocular Surface, Volume 18, Issue 3, 2020, Pages 427-437, ISSN 1542-0124, DOI: 10.1016/j.jtos.2020.04.012
4. Richard C. Prince, Renee R. Frontiera, and Eric O. Potma, Stimulated Raman Scattering: From Bulk to Nano, Chemical Reviews 2017 117 (7), 5070-5094, DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.6b00545