Dr. Skala’s lab develops new methods to understand and combat cancer using photonics-based technologies. Her lab is particularly interested in developing personalized cancer treatment strategies, and in developing more effective cancer therapies. Technology development focuses on metabolic and functional imaging in cancer, cell manufacturing, and ophthalmology. She received her BS in Physics at Washington State University in 2002, her M.S. in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 2004, and her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering at Duke University in 2007. Her postdoctoral training was also in Biomedical Engineering at Duke University, from 2007-2010. From 2010-2016, she was an Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Vanderbilt University. Since 2016 she has been an Investigator at the Morgridge Institute for Research, and an Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin – Madison.