Charles Eggleton

Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) with research focusing on cell mechanics in physiological functions such as inflammation. The work investigates how cell mechanics determines cell adhesion, using optical forces from lasers to deform cells and measure mechanical properties. Computer simulations based on physical laws are applied to study deformation caused by adhesive molecules and optical forces. The laboratory, in collaboration with others, has developed software to calculate the time evolution of optical forces on cells from laser diode bars. Additional roles include membership in the Diversity Council and the Latino/Hispanic Faculty Association at UMBC.

Research interests include Biomechanics, Cell Mechanics, Optical Manipulation of Cells, Computational Biophysics, and Biomedical Engineering. The research employs laser-based optical forces to probe cellular mechanical properties and uses computational models to simulate physical interactions during cell adhesion in physiological contexts.

The laboratory has developed specialized software for calculating optical forces from laser diode bars, indicating a strong computational component to experimental work. Collaborations with other researchers are evident in software development efforts for modeling optical force dynamics on cellular structures.