Bio-micro-robotics Professors and Supervisors | ApplySharif

Find Academic Supervisors

Find and connect with academic supervisors, professors, and scholars for your research journey.

Showing 1-15 of 220 supervisors

Profile data may be stale. It is sourced from public faculty pages.

Kenny S BreuerView profile

Professor

Brown UniversityUnited States

Kenneth S. Breuer is a Professor of Engineering at Brown University, serving as Director of the Center for Fluid Mechanics. He holds appointments in the School of Engineering and collaborates across disciplines, including Biology and Physics. His research focuses on fluid mechanics, animal flight mechanics (particularly bats), bacterial motility, renewable energy, and turbulence. Breuer earned his Sc.B. from Brown University and M.Sc./Ph.D. from MIT, returning to Brown in 1999 after faculty service at MIT. Education: Sc.B. (Brown), M.Sc./Ph.D. (MIT). Awards include Fellowships from the American Physical Society and American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and the Harold and Esther Edgerton Chair at MIT. He has authored over 100 publications and edited books such as *Microscale Diagnostic Techniques*. Research Interests: Fluid mechanics at micro/nanoscales, bio-inspired flight mechanisms, energy harvesting, and vortex dynamics. Collaborations include Professors Sharon Swartz (Biology) and Thomas Powers (Engineering). Current projects explore bat wing aerodynamics, membrane hydrofoils, and aerosol transmission in vehicles. Awards: APS Division of Fluid Dynamics Chair (2012), Midwest Mechanics Lecturer, and multiple fellowships. Teaching includes courses in Fluid Mechanics, Transport Phenomena, and Renewable Energy Systems. His lab develops bio-inspired robotic systems and studies flow interactions in animal and engineered systems.

Official University Profile

Robert MacCurdyView profile

Assistant Professor

University of ColoradoUnited States

Robert MacCurdy is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder . He leads the Matter Assembly Computation Lab (MACLab) focused on automating robot design and fabrication. His research bridges computational design and advanced manufacturing to create "robots that walk out of the printer." The lab develops tools like OpenVCAD , an open-source volumetric multi-material geometry compiler.

Official University Profile

Rebecca SchulmanView profile

Associate Professor

Johns Hopkins UniversityUnited States

Rebecca Schulman is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University. She holds secondary appointments in Chemistry and Computer Science and is affiliated with multiple interdisciplinary institutes, including the Institute for NanoBioTechnology, the Hopkins Extreme Materials Institute, the Chemistry-Biology Interface Program, the Center for Cell Dynamics, and the Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics. She currently co-directs the Passport to Future Technology Leadership program for PhD students. Research Interests: Schulman's research lies at the intersection of DNA nanotechnology, synthetic biology, and smart materials. Her group develops intelligent, adaptive biomolecular materials and nanostructures by integrating concepts from materials science, biochemistry, circuit design, and soft matter physics. The team focuses on engineering dynamic self-assembly processes using DNA to create reconfigurable materials, molecular circuits, and autonomous soft micro-robots. Key themes include self-healing nanostructures, feedback-regulated crystallization, programmable hydrogels, and synthetic genetic networks for materials control. Publication Trends: Her recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on using DNA-based chemical reaction networks to program spatial and temporal behavior in materials. The work spans from fundamental mechanisms like catalytic polymerization and crystal growth regulation to applications in soft robotics, self-wiring circuits, and synthetic pattern formation. The research is highly interdisciplinary, combining synthetic biology with materials engineering to achieve life-like functionalities in non-living systems. Scientific Awards: AIMBE Fellowship Award Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship Award Hartwell Individual Biomolecular Research Award President’s Early Career Award in Science and Engineering (PECASE) DARPA Young Faculty Award DARPA Directors Fellowship NSF CAREER Award Turing Scholar Award DOE Early Career Award Advising and Grants: Schulman mentors graduate students and leads a vibrant research group focused on next-generation biomolecular engineering. Her work is supported by major federal grants, including the NSF CAREER, DOE Early Career, DARPA, and the Vannevar Bush Fellowship—a prestigious Department of Defense award for basic research. She is actively involved in training future leaders through programs like the Passport to Future Technology Leadership. Labs and Teams: The Schulman Lab at Johns Hopkins is a multidisciplinary team working on DNA-powered materials and molecular programming. The lab is embedded within several collaborative centers, enabling strong cross-departmental and cross-institutional research. Their work combines experimental biochemistry with theoretical modeling to design and implement complex molecular systems.

Official University Profile

Zhu LailaiView profile

Assistant Professor

National University of SingaporeSingapore

Dr. Zhu Lailai serves as Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the National University of Singapore (NUS), appointed in January 2020. His research bridges fundamental fluid mechanics with cutting-edge engineering applications through computational and theoretical approaches. Dr. Zhu holds a PhD from KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden) and completed postdoctoral training at Princeton University. His research program centers on: Low-Reynolds-number fluid-structure interactions and bio-inspired adaptive systems Active matter dynamics (Janus colloids, active droplets, flagella/cilia) Intelligent fluids integrating machine learning for fluid dynamics Microrobotics with reinforcement learning-based chemotactic navigation Non-Newtonian/multiphase flows and microfluidics applications Analysis of his 2017-2025 publications reveals a clear trajectory toward AI-enhanced fluid mechanics, evolving from foundational theoretical models to machine learning integration. Recent work emphasizes foundation models for fluid dynamics prediction and topology-adaptive microrobotic navigation, demonstrating interdisciplinary convergence of physics, AI, and bionics. Scientific Awards: No major scientific awards specified in source materials Advising and Grants: While specific advisees and grants aren't detailed, his active publication record across high-impact journals (Nature Communications, Journal of Fluid Mechanics) indicates ongoing supervised research and likely grant funding through NUS and collaborative projects. Research Group: Dr. Zhu leads a computational/theoretical research team at NUS investigating active and intelligent fluids, with current projects on PCM thermal systems, microrobotic navigation, and active matter phase transitions, collaborating with experimentalists globally.

Official University Profile

Kaiyu HangView profile

Assistant Professor

Yale UniversityUnited States

Kaiyu Hang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Rice University, where he directs the Robotics and Physical Interactions Lab (RobotΠ Lab). His research spans multiple domains of robotics with a focus on physical interaction systems. Before joining Rice, he completed his postdoc at Yale University, earned his Ph.D./M.Sc. at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, and received his B.Eng. from Xi'an Jiaotong University. His research interests include robotic manipulation, grasping, in-hand manipulation, optimization, planning, learning, estimation, and control systems. He develops algorithms that enable robots to physically interact with other robots, people, and the world across scales from small grasping tasks to large-scale dual-arm and multi-robot manipulation systems. His work has practical applications in factories, kitchens, hospitals, warehouses, and construction sites. His recent publications demonstrate strong trends in in-hand manipulation techniques, energy-efficient drone operations, and benchmarking frameworks for robotic grasping. The 2025 IROS papers accepted highlight his leadership in developing standardized competition frameworks for evaluating robotic manipulation capabilities across diverse hardware platforms. ASME Rising Star of Mechanical Engineering (2024) NSF CAREER Award (2023) Multiple finalist awards at IEEE-RAS Humanoids and ICRA conferences Junior Fellowship Award from Institute for Advanced Study, HKUST (2017-2018) As an educator, he has taught multiple robotics courses including COMP 462/562: Introduction to Modern Robotics and COMP 461: Senior Design in A Robotized World. He serves as Faculty Advisor for the Rice Robotics Club and participates in graduate admissions. His lab actively recruits Ph.D. students and offers research opportunities for undergraduate and master's students who have completed core robotics courses.

Official University Profile

JIANG XingyuView profile

Professor

Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech)China

JIANG Xingyu is Chair Professor and Head of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) . Since 2018 he has led a multidisciplinary team developing advanced micro- and nano-scale tools for analytical chemistry, microfluidics and nanomedicine. Education Postdoctoral Research, Harvard University (2004–2005) Ph.D. in Chemistry, Harvard University (2004) B.S. in Chemistry, University of Chicago (1999) Research Interests Professor Jiang’s research integrates analytical chemistry , microfluidics , biomedical engineering and nanomedicine . His laboratory designs microfluidic chips for point-of-care diagnostics, engineers gold nanoclusters and nanoparticles for antimicrobial and anticancer therapy, and develops soft flexible bio-electronics for neural interfaces and wearable health monitoring. Across 400+ publications, recent work demonstrates a clear trend toward translational nanomedicine : point-of-care viral variant detection, nanoantibiotic strategies against multidrug-resistant bacteria, CRISPR delivery systems for cancer therapy, and conformal electronic tattoos for human-machine interfaces. Scientific Awards & Honours Fellow, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (2020) Fellow, Royal Society of Chemistry (2016) Tencent Science Exploration Award (2019) Chief Scientist, National Key R&D Program (2019–) National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars (2010) Young Investigator Award, Human Frontier Science Program (2007) Research Funding & Teams He currently directs the Nanoscience Laboratory at SUSTech, hosts National Key R&D Program projects as Chief Scientist, and serves on editorial boards of Advanced Healthcare Materials , Lab on a Chip , Nanoscale Horizons , Nanoscale and Nanoscale Advances . The group is actively recruiting post-docs, research professors and technicians across chemistry, materials, biology and medical engineering disciplines.

Official University Profile

Metin SittiView profile

Adjunct Professor

Koç UniversityTurkey

Metin Sitti is a Professor and currently serves as a part-time adjunct professor at Koç University's Faculty of Medicine and Engineering. He is also the President of Koç University and Director of the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems since 2014. His research spans robotics , micro/nanorobotics , physical intelligence , bio-inspired robotics , and materials science . Undergraduate: Boğaziçi University (Electrical and Electronics Engineering, 1992) Master's: Boğaziçi University (1994) PhD: University of Tokyo (Electrical Engineering, 1999) His research focuses on small-scale robotics for biomedical applications, including magnetic microrobot swarms , biohybrid systems , and functional materials . Recent publications emphasize 3D control , wireless actuation , and clinical translation of robotic systems. Scientific Awards : 2020 Scientific Breakthrough of the Year 2018 Koç University Rahmi M. Koç Science Medal 2014 IEEE/ASME Best Mechatronics Paper Award 2013/2012 World RoboCup Micro-Robotics First Prize He has advised numerous students and collaborates with institutions like Carnegie Mellon University and University of Stuttgart. His work integrates physical intelligence into miniature robots for medical imaging , drug delivery , and autonomous systems .

Official University Profile

Kevin KochersbergerView profile

Associate Professor

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityUnited States

Dr. Kevin Kochersberger is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech , with a career spanning academic research, technical innovation, and educational leadership. His work focuses on autonomous aerial systems , robotic control , and applied aerodynamics , particularly through the Uncrewed Systems Laboratory . Kochersberger's research has pioneered UAV-based radiation detection , 3D terrain mapping , and low-resource drone applications , including establishing the African Drone and Data Academy in Malawi . Education: Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech (1994) M.S., Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech (1984) B.S., Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech (1983) A.S., Engineering Science, Jamestown Community College (1981) Kochersberger's publications demonstrate expertise in UAV path planning , smart material actuation , and radiation source localization , with over $9M in research funding. His scientific awards include AIAA Associate Fellow (2009) and Aviation Week Aerospace Laureate (2003). Notable projects involve helicopter-deployable robotic systems and urban canyon navigation without GPS. Recent articles highlight BVLOS drone simulators , 2.5D terrain mapping , and autonomous negative obstacle traversal , reflecting his focus on real-time adaptive control and heterogeneous robotic systems . He teaches Drone Technology and Flight Operations and Advanced Design Projects , emphasizing student-driven innovation and industry collaboration .

Official University Profile

Leonardo ChamorroView profile

Professor

University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignUnited States

Leonardo Chamorro is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), with affiliations in Earth Science and Environmental Change, Aerospace Engineering, and Civil and Environmental Engineering. His research focuses on fluid dynamics, renewable energy systems, and turbulence modeling. He holds a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Minnesota (2010) and has held academic positions at UIUC since 2013, advancing to Full Professor in 2024. Chamorro's work spans experimental and theoretical investigations of wind and hydrokinetic energy, geophysical flows, and particle dynamics. His research group, the Renewable Energy & Turbulent Environment Group (RE-TE-G), explores topics like tidal flow multifractality, vortex dynamics, and bio-inspired robotics. Key achievements include Nature and Lab on a Chip cover articles, and contributions to turbulence modeling for tidal energy systems. He has received awards such as the Best Paper Award in Energies (2018) and recognition for pandemic-related research (2021). His editorial roles include associate editorships at journals like Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy and Frontiers in Energy Research . Chamorro has supervised numerous graduate students and postdocs, contributing to over 150 peer-reviewed publications since 2009.

Official University Profile

W. Hong YeoView profile

Professor

Georgia Institute of TechnologyUnited States

W. Hong Yeo is a Professor in the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering and Program Faculty in Bioengineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he also directs the WISH Center. He holds adjunct appointments in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering. Previously, he was an Assistant Professor at Virginia Commonwealth University (2014-2016) and a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's Beckman Institute. Dr. Yeo's research integrates nanomechanics, soft materials, and nano-microfabrication to develop bio-interfaced systems. Key areas include: Flexible Bioelectronics : Wearable/implantable sensors for health monitoring Human-Machine Interfaces : Neural prosthetics and soft robotics Translational Nanoengineering : Nanoparticle biosensing and diagnostics His publications (2023-2025) demonstrate strong focus on wireless health technologies, including multi-modal wearable systems, implantable sensors for cardiovascular/neurological monitoring, and AI-integrated diagnostics. Trends show increasing emphasis on closed-loop therapeutic systems and scalable manufacturing. Awards & Recognition : BMES Innovation and Career Development Award Virginia Commercialization Award Blavatnik Award Nominee NSF Summer Institute Fellowship Research funding sources include MEDARVA Foundation, NIH, DARPA, and industry partners like CooperVision. He leads the Center for Human-Centric Interfaces & Engineering , developing next-generation bio-interfaced systems.

Official University Profile

Zeynep TemelView profile

Assistant Professor

Carnegie Mellon UniversityQatar

Zeynep Temel is an Assistant Professor at Carnegie Mellon University's College of Engineering, jointly appointed in the Biomedical Engineering and Robotics Institute. She leads the Zoom Lab, focusing on bio-inspired compliant mechanisms for robotic systems. Current research emphasizes adaptable robots for complex environments through mechanical intelligence and embedded control . Key application areas include surgical robotics , search-and-rescue , and micromanipulation . Her work spans bio-inspired design, compliant robotics, and human-centered applications. Recent publications highlight advancements in: Swarm robotics for collaborative exploration Soft actuators using bioplastics and gelatin Dexterous manipulation via delta robot frameworks The Zoom Lab trains students in robotic fabrication and biological modeling, with members transitioning to roles in academia and industry.

Official University Profile

Amit LalView profile

Professor

Cornell UniversityUnited States

Amit Lal is a Professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Cornell University, with affiliations in Biomedical Engineering, Applied Engineering Physics, and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. He is a member of key research centers including Cornell CCMR, NBTC, and KAUST-CU. Education: B.S. in Electrical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 1990 Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, 1996 Prof. Lal's research focuses on the development of integrated microsystems using micro- and nanoscale fabrication. His work spans ultrasonic MEMS, low-power IoT sensors, atomic microsystems, and bio-robotics. He directs the SonicMEMS Laboratory, advancing technologies in GHz ultrasonics, inertial sensing, and chip-scale manipulation of particles. His interdisciplinary interests include biomedical imaging, solid-state devices, nanotechnology, and plasma science. His recent publications highlight innovation in energy harvesting, MEMS gyroscopes, and biologically integrated systems. The works reflect strong trends in autonomous sensing, miniaturized power sources, and hybrid bio-electromechanical systems, particularly for medical and navigation applications. Scientific Awards and Honors: NSF CAREER Award Whitaker Foundation Award Department of Defense Exceptional Service Award Best Program Manager Award, DARPA IEEE Ultrasonics and Frequency Control Symposium Best Paper Award IEEE NEMS Best Paper Award Robert M. Scharf 1977 Professor, Cornell Engineering HHMI Visiting Scientist, Janelia Farms Intel Fellowship (awarded to advisee) Prof. Lal has advised numerous students who have gone on to win awards and publish impactful research. He has secured significant research funding through DARPA and other agencies, managing and initiating multiple high-impact programs. His leadership extends to service on technical committees for IEEE conferences and journals, including Transducers and the IEEE Sensors Council. He has also contributed to academic recruiting within ECE. He leads the SonicMEMS Laboratory , a multidisciplinary research group focused on transforming sensing, communication, and computation at the microscale. The lab fosters collaboration across engineering and life sciences, pushing the boundaries of what integrated microsystems can achieve.

Official University Profile

Metin SittiView profile

Professor

Bosphorus UniversityTurkey

Prof. Dr. Metin Sitti is a leading academic and researcher currently serving as Director at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems and affiliated faculty at Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute and Koç University's Schools of Medicine and Engineering. His interdisciplinary work bridges robotics, materials science, and biomedicine. His research interests center on medical microrobotics , bio-inspired robotics , and physical intelligence , exploring how intelligent behaviors can emerge from material properties and system design. He leads the Physical Intelligence Research Group , pioneering novel approaches in soft and micro-robotic systems. The scientific publications attributed to Prof. Sitti span diverse areas including micro-robotic locomotion, stimuli-responsive materials, and collective behavior in synthetic systems. Though specific titles are not listed, his body of work consistently contributes to robotics, nanotechnology, and biomedical engineering. Rahmi M. Koç Science Award ERC Advanced Grant IEEE Fellow National Science Foundation CAREER Award SPIE Nanoengineering Pioneer Award IEEE/ASME Best Mechatronics Paper Award Robotics: Science and Systems Conference Best Paper Award IEEE/RSJ Intelligent Robot Systems Conference Best Paper and Video Awards IEEE Robotics and Automation Conference Best Paper and Video Awards IEEE Robotics and Biomimetics Conference Best Paper and Video Awards Prof. Sitti has secured major grants including the ERC Advanced Grant and NSF CAREER Award, supporting high-impact research in intelligent materials and robotic systems. He has mentored numerous researchers and students across institutions, though specific advisees are not listed. His entrepreneurial initiative led to the founding of nanoGriptech Inc. in 2009, commercializing gecko-inspired microfiber adhesives. He leads the Physical Intelligence Department at the Max Planck Institute, where his team develops novel robotic materials and microsystems that exhibit intelligence through physical design rather than computation alone.

Official University Profile

Jayshri SabarinathanView profile

Associate Professor

Western UniversityCanada

Dr. Jayshri Sabarinathan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Western University's Faculty of Engineering, and a Faculty Member with the Institute for Earth and Space Exploration. She joined Western University in Fall 2003, received the NSERC University Faculty Award in 2004, and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2010. She previously served as Associate Director of Training (2019-2022) with the Institute for Earth and Space Exploration. Education: Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (2003) M.S.E. in Electrical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (1999) B.S.E. in Electrical Engineering and Engineering Physics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (1997) Her research focuses on developing novel nano-photonic sensors and miniature remote sensing instrumentation, with expertise spanning photonic crystals, plasmonic sensors, and CubeSat technology. Her work integrates nanofabrication techniques with practical applications in precision agriculture, geology, and space exploration. She has extensive experience with nanofabrication facilities including the University of Michigan Solid State Electronics Laboratory and Western's nanofabrication facility. Analysis of her 15 most recent publications reveals strong emphasis on plasmonic sensing technologies, photonic crystal applications, and nanoscale optical phenomena. Her research consistently bridges fundamental photonics with practical sensor development, particularly for environmental monitoring and space applications. The publications demonstrate progression from basic photonic crystal research to applied space instrumentation. Scientific Awards: NSERC University Faculty Award (2004) US Patent 8839683 for Photonic Crystal Pressure Sensors (2014) OSA (Optica) Senior Member Co-founder of LightSail Ltd space startup Dr. Sabarinathan actively mentors graduate students through her Nanophotonic Sensors Engineering (NPSE) and Remote Sensing Instrumentation (RSI) research groups. She has secured significant funding including Canadian Space Agency projects, notably as PI for the Western University-Nunavut Arctic College CubeSat Project Ukpik-1. Her research has resulted in three patents for micro photonic-sensors and multi-spectral camera innovations. Her labs focus on two primary research thrusts: the NPSE group developing hybrid photonics micro/nano-sensors including IR/THz plasmonic sensors and bio-photonic sensors, and the RSI group creating multispectral camera imagers for UAV/mobile robots with XRD instrumentation miniaturization for Mars rovers.

Official University Profile

Trevor J JonesView profile

Assistant Professor

Carnegie Mellon UniversityQatar

Trevor J Jones is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University's College of Engineering, where he leads the Mechanically Intelligent Engineered Structures (MInEnS) Lab. His research integrates soft matter mechanics, nonlinear dynamics, and indigenous knowledge to develop novel technologies in soft robotics, meta-materials, and manufacturing. Education: Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, Princeton University (2023) B.S., Chemical Engineering, Vanderbilt University (2017) His research focuses on harnessing mechanical instabilities, fluid-solid interactions, and granular matter to create intelligent, adaptive materials. Inspired by natural phenomena and Ojibwe beadwork traditions (reflected in the MInEnS Lab's name from the Ojibwemowin word manidoominens ), his work spans soft robotics, deployable structures, and beadwoven metamaterials. He employs an interdisciplinary approach combining crafting, experimentation, and theoretical modeling. His recent publications (2022–2024) demonstrate a strong trend in leveraging buckling, plasticity, and fluid dynamics to achieve emergent intelligence and multifunctionality in soft engineered systems, particularly through innovative fabrication techniques like bubble casting and beadwork-inspired design. Scientific Awards: AISES Lighting the Pathway Fellow Trailblazer in Engineering Rising Star in Soft and Biological Matter Jones actively mentors graduate and undergraduate researchers, including PhD students Eddie Beck and Angela Lee, and undergraduates Eleni Georgountzos and Adela Qiu. He is currently recruiting PhD students and postdocs for projects in bead-woven materials and soft matter mechanics. The MInEnS Lab fosters a highly interdisciplinary environment that values curiosity, craftsmanship, and the integration of diverse cultural perspectives in scientific inquiry.

Official University Profile