Our team.
BioLight Engineering brings together leaders in optical engineering, ophthalmic imaging, and clinical medicine.
Youbo Zhao, PhD
Dr. Zhao brings extensive experience in optical instrumentation, technology innovation, research leadership, and technology commercialization. Before joining BioLight Engineering LLC, he served as a Group Leader at Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI), where he led multidisciplinary R&D programs spanning advanced optical imaging, sensing technologies, and biomedical instrumentation. Over the past decade, he has secured and managed more than $15 million in funding from NIH, DOE, DARPA, ARPA-H, and internal corporate sources.
His expertise includes optical system design, high-speed imaging, fluorescence microscopy, computational imaging, electronics integration, and the management of multidisciplinary engineering teams.
As CEO, Dr. Zhao provides strategic leadership for BioLight Engineering's business growth, technology commercialization, product development, clinical validation, regulatory strategy, partnerships, and fundraising.
Xincheng Yao, PhD, FAIMBE, FSPIE, FOptica
Dr. Xincheng Yao is the Founder and Chief Technology Officer of BioLight Engineering LLC and an internationally recognized pioneer in ophthalmic imaging technologies. He serves as the Richard & Loan Hill Endowed Chair and Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC).
Dr. Yao's expertise spans biomedical optics, computational imaging, ophthalmic instrumentation, and translational medical device development. He has authored numerous scientific publications, holds multiple patents, and has mentored multidisciplinary teams of engineers, scientists, and clinicians.
As Founder and CTO, Dr. Yao provides the technological vision for BioLight Engineering and leads the company's innovation strategy, translating cutting-edge research into practical, affordable retinal imaging solutions.
TaeYun Son, PhD
Dr. TaeYun Son is a biomedical engineer specializing in the development and translation of innovative ophthalmic imaging technologies into clinically practical medical devices. His expertise spans optical instrumentation, retinal imaging, computational imaging, and biomedical optics.
As the leading Principal Investigator of BioLight Engineering's NIH SBIR program, Dr. Son leads the scientific and technical execution of the company's flagship retinal imaging projects, working in close partnership with the Multi-Principal Investigators at the University of Illinois Chicago.
He works closely with engineers, clinicians, and regulatory partners to ensure BioLight's technologies address real-world clinical needs while maintaining high standards of performance, usability, and affordability.
Alfa Rossi, PhD
Dr. Alfa Rossi received his PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Illinois Chicago, where his doctoral research focused on developing affordable ultra-widefield fundus imaging systems for pediatric and adult retinal examinations. He has played a leading role in developing multiple portable retinal imaging systems, including the company's flagship PedCam platform.
His expertise includes optical system design, optomechanical engineering, imaging software integration, and translational medical device development. He has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and is a co-inventor on patent applications related to retinal imaging technologies.
As Project Manager, Dr. Rossi coordinates technology development across multidisciplinary teams, helping transform innovative concepts into practical ophthalmic imaging products.
Robison V. Paul Chan, MD, MSc, MBA, FACS
Dr. Robison V. Paul Chan is the John H. Panton Professor and Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Illinois Chicago and an internationally recognized pediatric retina specialist. His career has focused on retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), pediatric retinal diseases, telemedicine, and global eye health.
Dr. Chan serves as a Multi-Principal Investigator on BioLight Engineering's NIH SBIR PedCam projects, leading the clinical translation and validation of the company's technologies through a long-standing collaboration between BioLight Engineering and the University of Illinois Chicago.
Devrim Toslak, MD
Dr. Devrim Toslak is an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at Antalya Training and Research Hospital, Türkiye. He was a visiting scholar in Dr. Xincheng Yao's Biomedical Optics and Ophthalmic Imaging Laboratory at the University of Illinois Chicago from 2015 to 2020, where he played a key role in developing innovative retinal imaging technologies.
He is a co-inventor of BioLight Engineering's foundational PedCam technology based on trans-pars-planar illumination. As Clinical Advisor, he provides clinical insights that guide technology development, clinical validation, and the global translation of BioLight's retinal imaging solutions.