Jan Liphardt

Jan Liphardt is an Associate Professor of Bioengineering at Stanford University, leading the Liphardt Lab. His work bridges physics, engineering, and biology, focusing on single-molecule dynamics, non-equilibrium statistical mechanics, and privacy-preserving medical AI. He is affiliated with the Shriram Center and has pioneered tools like Secure Multiparty Computation for global health data analysis.

• Education: BA from Reed College (1996), PhD from Cambridge University (1999).

His research spans single-molecule biophysics (e.g., RNA dynamics, nuclear pore mechanics) and applied projects in digital health, including a privacy-preserving COVID-19 symptom tracker with 3.6 million reports. Recent articles emphasize mechanogenetics, chromatin dynamics, and wearable stress sensors.

Scientific awards include the

• Searle Scholar
• Sloan Research Fellowship
• Hellman Fellowship
• Mohr Davidow Innovator’s Award (2007)

His lab mentors PhD students and postdocs in interdisciplinary methods, and he teaches courses on synthetic biology, AI in bioengineering, and blockchain applications. Collaborations with Lawrence Berkeley National Lab and UC Berkeley highlight his academic journey.