Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Sven Ingebrandt is Full Professor and Chair of Micro- and Nanosystems as well as Chair of Materials for Electrical Engineering I at RWTH Aachen University, Germany. He simultaneously directs the Institute of Materials for Electrical Engineering I (IWE-1) and holds a rectorate mandate for university co-operation with Japan. His affiliations further include the Profile Area Molecular Science & Engineering (MSE) steering committee. Research interests cover micro- and nanoelectronics, bioelectronics, neural interfaces, organic electrochemical transistors, 2-D materials, metal-organic frameworks, lab-on-a-chip systems, plasmonic biosensors and thermal characterisation of thin films. The group develops wearable textile sensors, high-density microelectrode arrays, impedance-based cellular assays, ion-selective organic sensors and point-of-care diagnostic platforms. Recent publications (2022-2025) emphasise multi-modal biosensors, graphene and MOF thin films, organic transistor arrays for neurotransmitter and ion monitoring, thermal metrology of conductive polymers, plasmonic enhancement for viral protein detection, and machine-learning assisted discovery of high-performance polymers. The work is highly interdisciplinary, merging microsystems engineering, surface chemistry, semiconductor nanotechnology and biomedical sciences.
Nathan Swami is a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Virginia. His research focuses on biophysical microsystems, developing microfluidic devices for biosensing, disease modeling, and tissue regeneration. He leads the Biophysical Microsystems Group at the UVA Center for Advanced Biomanufacturing. B.S., Indian Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University (1991) M.S., University of British Columbia (1993) Ph.D., University of Southern California (1998) Post-Doc, Clinical MicroSensors Inc. (1999-2000) Principal Scientist, Motorola Labs (2000-2003) His research spans biomedical data sciences, millimeter-wave electronics, and bio-inspired systems. Current projects include: Subcellular phenotypic analysis for microbiota interactions Conformation-specific biomarker detection Microfluidic vesicle/cell isolation Organ-on-chip tissue engineering Impedance-based cytometry Biodegradable scaffold fabrication Recent publications emphasize dielectrophoresis, cellular mechanics, and electrochemical biosensing, with applications in mitochondrial analysis and pathogen inhibition. His lab develops systems for point-of-care diagnostics in resource-poor settings. Key grants include NIH funding for microbiota-based infection control, AFOSR projects on biomarker detection, and a Paul Manning Launchpad Award for microfluidic sorting systems. His work combines microelectronics with bioanalysis to advance personalized medicine and tissue regeneration.
Regina Luttge is an Associate Professor at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Chair of Neuro-Nanoscale Engineering. Her research focuses on developing biomimetic brain-on-chip systems through micro-nanofabrication, combining tissue engineering with microfluidics for studying neurodegenerative diseases. ERC Starting Grant (2011) and Proof of Concept Grant (2015) Chief Scientific Officer at MyLife Technologies BV since 2012 Research Interests : Temporal/spatial cellular microenvironment control Directional neuronal network formation via nanogrooves Hydrogel scaffolds for 3D neural cultures Clinically relevant preclinical models Microfabrication for neurotechnology Recent Publications demonstrate trends in mechanodynamic brain-on-chip , epileptic seizure modeling , and neurodegenerative assembloids , with keywords spanning Biomedical Microsystems, Nanofabrication, and Neurotechnology. Scientific Awards ERC Starting Grant (2011) for "Chatting with Neurons" ERC Proof of Concept Grant (2015) for "Sieving Neuronal Networks" Education & Supervision : PhD from Imperial College London (2003), former researcher at Institut für Mikrotechnik Mainz. Supervised 38 student theses including T. Labeur's hydrogel bead trapping research and T.A. Roza's automated Brain-on-Chip feedback-loop system. Industry Collaboration : Co-founded MyLife Technologies BV, bridging academic research with commercial microsystem development while mentoring student entrepreneurship through TU/e's challenge-based learning initiatives.
Yu Sun is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the University of Toronto (UofT), with joint appointments in the Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and the Department of Computer Science. He is the founding Director of the UofT Robotics Institute and holds a Tier I Canada Research Chair in Micro and Nano Engineering Systems. His Advanced Micro and Nanosystems Laboratory focuses on developing technologies for cell and nanomaterial manipulation, with applications in reproductive medicine, robotics, and biomedical engineering. Education: PhD from the University of Minnesota (2003), postdoctoral research at ETH-Zürich. Joined UofT in 2004, served as Director of the University Nanofabrication Center (2012–2013). Research interests span robotics , micro/nano engineering , and biomedical systems . His lab develops AI-driven robotic systems for IVF, sperm analysis, and cellular characterization. Key innovations include automated embryo evaluation, magnetic micro/nanorobots, and platforms for studying cell mechanics in cancer and cardiac models. Awards and Fellowships: Elected Fellow of major engineering and science societies (ASME, IEEE, AAAS), recipient of the 2023 President’s Impact Award for micro-nano robotics advancements. Notable honors include the IEEE Robotics Early Career Award (2010), NSERC Steacie Fellowship (2013), and CSME Mechatronics Medal (2020). Grants and Advising: Secured over eight Connaught Innovation Awards and an NSERC Synergy Award (2021). Supervises interdisciplinary research teams across engineering and biomedical fields. Editorial roles include IEEE Transactions on Robotics and Microsystems & Nanoengineering. Labs/Teams: Leads the Advanced Micro and Nanosystems Laboratory (AMNL) and the Robotics Institute. Active in collaborative projects with industry partners, focusing on translational applications in healthcare and environmental energy systems.
Dr. Zhen Qiu is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Michigan State University (MSU), with affiliations to the Institute for Quantitative Health Science & Engineering and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. His research focuses on biomedical optics, MEMS/MOEMS technologies, and advanced medical imaging systems for early cancer detection and surgical guidance. Education: B.S. in Precision Instruments from Tsinghua University (China), Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Michigan, and postdoctoral training at Stanford University School of Medicine. Research Interests: Development of miniaturized optical imaging tools, including confocal microendoscopes, handheld multi-photon microscopes, and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy systems. His lab integrates micro-systems engineering to enable ultra-thin in-vivo sensing and imaging for translational medicine applications. Labs & Teams: The Qiu Lab collaborates across disciplines to advance cancer biology research and translational medicine, emphasizing customizable microsystems for medical device innovation. Professional Contributions: Active in developing implantable and wearable medical devices, with expertise in ultrafast laser applications and targeted imaging technologies.
Dr. James Choi is an Associate Professor in the Department of Bioengineering at Imperial College London, affiliated with the Faculty of Engineering. His research focuses on noninvasive medical technologies, including focused ultrasound for drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier and wearable controllers for virtual/augmented reality. He leads the Noninvasive Surgical Microsystems (NSM) Lab, developing devices for microsurgery and medical monitoring. Education: PhD (Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University), MS (Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University), BSE (Computer Engineering, University of Michigan) Appointments: 2018–Present (Imperial College London), 2010–2013 (Postdoc at University of Oxford) Research interests include noninvasive microsurgery targeting Alzheimer’s, glioblastoma, and diffuse midline glioma, as well as smart wristbands for VR/AR hand tracking and haptic feedback. His work spans five interdisciplinary topics: hardware development, signal processing, tissue physics, biological responses, and clinical translation. Key awards include the 2022 Frederic Lizzi Award and the 2011–2012 Frederick V. Hunt Fellowship. His lab’s work is detailed at www.nsblab.org .
Rebecca E. Taylor is an Associate Professor in the College of Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, holding joint appointments in Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, and Electrical and Computer Engineering. She leads the Microsystems and Mechanobiology Lab, where her interdisciplinary research spans molecular, cellular, microscale, and macroscale systems. Her work bridges engineering principles with biological understanding to create novel nanotechnologies. Dr. Taylor's educational background includes: B.S.E. in Mechanical Engineering from Princeton University (2001) M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University (2010) Dual Ph.D. degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Bioengineering from Stanford University (2013) Her research focuses on three primary domains: DNA nanotechnology for molecular and cellular mechanobiology Bio-inspired micro- and nanosystems Advanced manufacturing across multiple scales Dr. Taylor's work leverages structural DNA nanotechnology to create tools for measuring stress and strain in soft materials, investigating molecular and cellular mechanobiology, and developing novel approaches for drug delivery and gene therapy. Her lab has made significant contributions in creating self-assembling nanofilaments from gamma-modified peptide nucleic acid (gPNA), which form stable structures in harsh environments. She also investigates the use of DNA-based nanostructures as flexible connectors for microscale swimmer robots and as bridging materials for enhancing self-assembly processes. Her recent publications reveal a strong focus on microswimmers, DNA origami, cell encapsulation, and computational design methods for nanostructures. The research demonstrates increasing sophistication in combining top-down engineering processes with bottom-up self-assembly approaches. Dr. Taylor has received numerous prestigious awards: NSF CAREER Award (2020) AFOSR Young Investigator Program (YIP) Award (2017) Donald L. and Rhonda Struminger Faculty Fellow (2016) Dr. Taylor actively mentors a large group of students across multiple levels. Her lab currently includes multiple Ph.D. students, postdoctoral researchers, M.S. students, and undergraduates. She has successfully guided numerous students to completion of their degrees, with many alumni now working at leading institutions and companies. Her research is supported by multiple grants from agencies including NSF, NIH, and AFOSR, reflecting the interdisciplinary and high-impact nature of her work. The Microsystems and Mechanobiology Lab collaborates extensively with researchers in Chemistry, Biomedical Engineering, Physics, Developmental Biology, and Cardiovascular Medicine, highlighting the cross-disciplinary nature of Dr. Taylor's research program. Her work on workforce training tools like voice assistants for advanced manufacturing demonstrates her commitment to translating research into practical applications.
Joel Voldman is a Professor of Electrical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), affiliated with the School of Engineering and the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. He serves as a principal investigator in the Research Laboratory of Electronics (RLE), focusing on BioMEMS applications for biological systems including point-of-care diagnostics, cell biology, and neuroengineering. Education: B.S. in Electrical Engineering (summa cum laude), University of Massachusetts, Amherst (1995) M.S. and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, MIT (1997, 2001) Postdoctoral research at Harvard Medical School Research focuses on interdisciplinary approaches combining: Microfabrication technology development Quantitative modeling of biological systems Bioengineering applications in diagnostics and neuroengineering Microfluidics for cellular analysis His recent publications demonstrate strong focus on microfluidic diagnostics, optical manipulation techniques, and medical informatics. Research trends show increasing integration of machine learning with biomedical device development.
Euisik Yoon is a **Professor of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science** at the **University of Michigan**'s **College of Engineering**. His research focuses on **Bio-MEMS, Microfluidics, Neural Engineering, and Cancer Treatment Technologies**, with a lab dedicated to developing advanced microsystems for neuroscience and biomedical applications. He leads the **Yoon Lab**, which innovates in neural probes, optogenetic interfaces, and single-cell analysis platforms. Key achievements include the **Monroe-Brown Foundation Research Excellence Award (2023)** and the **Best Paper Award at IEEE BIOCAS 2022**. His work spans **neural recording systems**, **microLED-based optoelectrodes**, and **high-throughput cancer cell analysis** techniques like **Hydro-Seq** and **MiniSTAR**. Collaborations with clinicians and engineers have produced breakthroughs in **brain-machine interfaces**, **prostate cancer diagnostics**, and **metastasis research**. Notable projects include **self-assembled origami neural probes**, **ultra-compliant carbon nanotube devices**, and **scalable optogenetic tools** for studying neural networks in vivo. His lab also develops **3D-printed electrophysiology systems** and **low-power biomedical sensors**. Key Awards: Monroe-Brown Award, PCF Challenge Award, Nature Communications Publications Research Themes: Neural interfaces, cancer diagnostics, optogenetics, microfluidics Lab Innovations: Yoon Lab designs bio-inspired sensors, neural probes, and cancer analysis platforms
Dr. Mingming Wu is a Professor in Biological and Environmental Engineering at Cornell University. She directs the Biofluidics Lab, developing micro/nano-scale technologies to address biological, medical, and environmental challenges. Research focuses on rare earth bio-mining, cell migration mechanics, tumor microenvironment modeling, and algal bloom dynamics. Her work includes engineering Gluconobacter oxydans for efficient rare earth extraction and studying mechanical forces in cancer metastasis. Key innovations include microfluidic platforms for cell migration analysis and 3D tumor spheroid characterization. Recent breakthroughs involve identifying CD44's role in tumor invasion within hyaluronic acid-rich matrices and developing eco-friendly rare earth processing using bacterial biosorption. Courses taught include Bioinstrumentation and Biologically Inspired Microsystems. Education includes doctoral training in bioengineering and physics. Research has been featured in Cornell Atkinson Center publications for environmental applications.
Rasheda Haughbrook, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Florida State University's College of Arts and Sciences. Her research explores the intersection of environment, genetics, and context in developmental outcomes like academic achievement and mental health. Research Interests: Dr. Haughbrook investigates contextual influences on academic, physical, and mental health outcomes using lab-based studies, field research, and secondary data analysis. Her work emphasizes historically understudied populations and translational research for public health improvement. Laboratory: She directs The Context Lab, affiliated with the Florida Center for Reading Research and The Center for Population Science and Health Equity. The lab includes undergraduate researchers, graduate students, and research staff. Research Trends: Her publications analyze environmental impacts on cognitive development, educational equity, and behavioral genetics, with recent work leveraging advanced statistical modeling to address disparities in academic identification and support systems.
Jitendran Muthuswamy is an Associate Professor at Arizona State University (ASU), affiliated with the School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering and the School of Life Sciences. His research focuses on neural interfaces, neuromodulation for migraine pain, and brain-tissue mechanics. He holds editorial roles at Frontiers in Neuroscience , PLOS One , and IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering . Muthuswamy directs the Neural Microsystems Laboratory and has expertise in developing implantable devices for neural monitoring and stimulation. Education B.Tech., Electronics and Electrical Communication Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur M.S. and Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Postdoctoral Fellowship, Johns Hopkins University Research Interests His work emphasizes neuromodulation therapies, neural interface design, and understanding cellular mechanisms of pain transmission. Key areas include intracranial pressure monitoring, optogenetic tools, and chronic implant stability. Recent projects involve wireless neurostimulators for migraine treatment and ultrasonically powered biosensors. Grants & Activities NIH Blueprint Medtech Accelerator Seedling (2023–2024) Arizona NEI Science and Technology Center (2024–2025) Flinn Foundation grants for occipital nerve neuromodulation (2021–2024) Teaching Muthuswamy teaches courses in biomedical engineering, including Biomedical Product Design , Cyber Biomedical Systems , and Honors Thesis Research .
Dr. Jonathan West is an Associate Professor of Biomicrofluidics at the University of Southampton, Faculty of Medicine, affiliated with the Institute for Life Sciences. He holds a BSc in Medical Microbiology from the University of Edinburgh and a PhD in Microsystems from Tyndall National Institute (University College Cork). His research focuses on developing microfluidic technologies for cellular and molecular analytics, with emphasis on thrombosis prediction and protein dynamics analysis. Key projects include platelet function testing for clinical diagnostics and serial crystallography for protein motion studies. He supervises PhD student Jack Robert Stubbs and has received the Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) award. Research interests span microfluidic platforms for biomedical applications, including organ-on-a-chip systems and point-of-care diagnostic tools. Notable collaborations include work with the British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research UK. Teaching roles include leading the MSc Biomedical Engineering module on Human Biology and Systems Physiology, and guest lecturing on DNA sequencing in Biomedical Engineering programs. External engagements include speaking roles at academic symposia and conferences on microfluidics and biomedical engineering.
Dominik Huber is a researcher at the Chair of Bio- and Nanophotonics within the FAIM (Freiburg Alliances in Institutionalized Methodologies) at the University of Freiburg's Faculty of Engineering. Since December 2020, he has been investigating the interaction of particulate matter with lung cells. He holds a Master's degree in Microsystems Engineering from IMTEK (2017) and a second degree in Molecular Medicine from the University of Freiburg (2020). Research Interests : His work integrates biomedical microtechnology and molecular medicine to explore nanoscale interactions in medical contexts. Key areas include: Development of microsystems for lung cell studies Nanophotonics applications in diagnostics and therapy Particulate matter effects on cellular structures Affiliations : - Member of the Chair of Bio- and Nanophotonics led by Prof. Alexander Rohrbach - Part of the Faculty of Engineering's interdisciplinary research ecosystem
Megan McClean is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, College of Engineering. Her research integrates bioengineering, microfluidics, and optogenetics to study microbial signal processing, with a focus on model and pathogenic yeasts. Research Interests: Systems Biology: Investigating how cells process complex stimuli through dynamic signaling networks. Synthetic Biology: Designing and building biological systems for controlled experimentation. Cellular Engineering: Developing tools to manipulate and monitor cellular behavior. Signal Processing: Understanding how biological inputs are transduced and interpreted at the cellular level. Her recent publications highlight a strong emphasis on high-throughput optogenetic platforms like Lustro, automation in biological experiments, and quantitative analysis of yeast signaling and gene regulation. The work spans synthetic biology, systems biology, and bioengineering, with increasing integration of microfluidics and real-time cellular monitoring. Scientific Awards: National Science Foundation CAREER Award (2021) WARF Innovation Award Finalist (2020) Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering Young Innovator Award (2019) Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award (2018) Frontier Innovator, Wellcome Trust (2015) Kavli Fellow, US National Academy of Sciences (2015) Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Award at the Scientific Interface (2013) Lewis-Sigler Fellowship, Princeton University (2009) Lucent GRPW Graduate Fellowship (2003) Peirce Fellowship, Harvard SEAS (2003) Member, Phi Beta Kappa (2003) UC Berkeley Alumni Scholars Leadership Scholarship (2000) Member, Phi Theta Kappa (1996) Advising & Grants: She advises graduate students through BME 890 (Pre-dissertation Research) and BME 990 (Research and Thesis), indicating active mentorship. Her research is supported by major grants including the NSF CAREER Award and the NIH Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award, reflecting sustained funding and recognition. Labs & Teams: The McClean research group develops and applies advanced bioengineering tools such as microfluidic devices and optogenetic platforms to study cellular decision-making in yeast. The team emphasizes high-throughput, automated experimentation, as demonstrated by the Lustro system.
