Michael McAlpine is a Professor in the Mechanical Engineering department at the University of Minnesota . He also holds affiliations with the Biomedical Engineering and Electrical and Computer Engineering departments. His research focuses on 3D printing functional materials & devices , Nanoscale inks , Biomedical devices , Bioelectronics , and Flexible Microsystems . Research Interests : 3D Printing, Biomedical Engineering, Nanotechnology, Flexible Electronics, Microfluidics Labs : ME 361/363 Contact : mcalpine@umn.edu , (612) 626-3303, ME 117 Recent Research Trends include 3D Printed Biomedical Devices , Flexible Electronics , and Bioprinting Applications . His work spans from Spinal Organoid Formation to Programmable Drug Release Capsules . Scientific Award : Circulation Research 2020 Best Manuscript Award
Danick Briand is a Senior Scientist at the Soft Transducers Laboratory within the Microsystems for Space Applications Group (LMTS) at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). His work focuses on MEMS and Microsystems for environmentally friendly technology , integrating flexible and printed electronics with applications in energy harvesting , smart sensing systems , and advanced gas sensing . Research Themes : Environmental sensors using microsystem technology Green microtechnologies and micromanufacturing Ultra-low energy MEMS Energy-saving and harvesting systems Recent Publications : Developed transient biodegradable sensors and microwave sensing technologies using printed and degradable materials Explored flexible piezoelectric systems and wearable sweat analyzers for biomedical applications Advanced inkjet-printed biosensors and eco-friendly fabrication methods Labs & Collaborations : Soft Transducers Laboratory (EPFL) Laboratory for Microsystems (LMTS)
Burak Ozdoganlar is a Ver Planck Endowed Chair Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) and Associate Director of the Engineering Research Accelerator. He holds courtesy faculty positions in Biomedical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering. Ozdoganlar earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan (1999), M.S. degrees from Ohio State University (1993, 1995), and a B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering from Istanbul Technical University (1991). Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan (1999) MS, Mechanical Engineering, Ohio State University (1995) MS, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, Ohio State University (1993) BS, Aeronautical Engineering, Istanbul Technical University (1991) Ozdoganlar’s research focuses on multi-scale manufacturing processes (macro/micro/nano), precision engineering , structural dynamics , and modal testing , with applications in biomedical device fabrication , microneedle arrays , soft electronics , and 3D ice printing for vascular networks. His work bridges computational modeling with experimental validation. Recent scientific awards include the 2023 AIMBE College of Fellows induction, ASME Fellow (2019), and NSF CAREER Award (2006). He served as interim CTO of the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Institute and chaired the ASME-MED Manufacturing Equipment Technical Committee. Ozdoganlar leads projects in scalable manufacturing for implantable medical devices , bioelectric medicine , and wearable robotics . His lab develops 3D ice-printed vascular templates for tissue engineering and liquid metal circuits for soft electronics, funded by institutions like the Manufacturing Futures Institute and ARPA-H.
Kristofer Pister is a Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at the University of California, Berkeley. He co-directs the Berkeley Sensor and Actuator Center (BSAC) and the Ubiquitous Swarm Lab. His career spans groundbreaking innovations in Micro/Nano Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS), Control Systems, and Low-Power Circuits, with a focus on Smart Dust and synthetic insects. Education: Ph.D. and M.S. in EECS from UC Berkeley (1992, 1989); B.A. in Applied Physics from UC San Diego (1986). His research areas include MEMS , Control Systems , Robotics , and Integrated Circuits , with recent work on self-powered micro-sensors, crystal-free radios, and interplanetary swarm networks. Key awards include the ISA Albert F. Sperry Founder Award (2009) , Alexander Schwarzkopf Prize (2006) , and the NSF CAREER Award (1996) . He has authored numerous influential publications in wireless sensor networks and microrobotics. His lab, Ubiquitous Swarm Lab , explores distributed robotics and swarm intelligence. Pister emphasizes open collaboration in research, ethical conduct in academia, and efficient resource utilization for graduate students.
Zoran Cenev holds a Tenure Track Assistant Professor position within the Mechatronics and Dynamics section of the Department of Mechanical and Production Engineering at the School of Engineering, Aarhus University. His primary institutional affiliation is with AU Engineering, and contact details include email zoran.cenev@mpe.au.dk and telephone +45 20 64 75 44, with office location Aarhus N, 5128-140. Research interests focus on interdisciplinary applications of magnetic and robotic systems: Robotic micromanipulation via electromagnetic needles Ferrofluid-based biofabrication for skeletal muscle engineering Laser-induced photothermal droplet control Theoretical modeling of particle dynamics at fluid interfaces Surface engineering for underwater metallic stability Nanostructure formation through ion bombardment His recent publications (2023-2025) reveal a dominant trend in adapting ferrofluids for biomedical automation, particularly 3D bioprinting of magnetically responsive tissues and droplet manipulation on engineered surfaces. This work bridges mechanical engineering with regenerative medicine, emphasizing practical implementations of theoretical models for microscale precision. Scientific awards are not documented in the provided information. As a faculty member, Dr. Cenev likely mentors graduate students and pursues research grants, though specific advisees or funding details are absent. Departmental laboratories and workshops support his experimental work in mechatronics, with emphasis on magnetic manipulation systems and surface characterization.
Stéphanie P. Lacour is a Full Professor at the School of Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), where she holds the Foundation Bertarelli Chair in Neuroprosthetic Technology. She leads the Laboratory of Soft Bioelectronic Interfaces (LSBI) and is affiliated with multiple departments including INX-STI, STI-SMT, SV-SSV, and AVP-DLE-EDOC. Since 2025, she has served as EPFL’s Vice-President for Support to Strategic Initiatives, overseeing institutional research strategy. Her research is centered at Campus Biotech in Geneva, where she was the founding director of the Neuro-X Institute. PhD in Electrical Engineering, INSA Lyon, France (1998–2001) Postdoctoral Research, Princeton University and University of Cambridge Joined EPFL in 2011 Her research focuses on soft bioelectronic interfaces that seamlessly integrate with biological tissues. She pioneers the development of stretchable, compliant electronics for implantable and wearable applications, using techniques from MEMS and microelectronics adapted to elastomeric substrates. Her work enables long-term, minimally invasive neural interfacing for applications in neuroprosthetics, rehabilitation, and health monitoring. Key innovations include soft electrocorticography arrays, liquid metal sensors, and encapsulation methods for chronic implants. Her recent publications span high-impact journals such as Nature , Science Robotics , Advanced Materials , and Nature Nanotechnology , covering topics like neural stimulation, soft robotics, wireless implants, and hydrogel-based interfaces . The work demonstrates a strong trend toward multimodal, closed-loop, and translational neurotechnologies with real-world clinical potential. Scientific Awards: No scientific awards explicitly mentioned in the provided text. She advises a large cohort of PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, many of whom have completed their theses under her supervision. Her team has received funding for projects in neural interfacing, bioelectronics, and soft robotics. She is actively involved in teaching courses such as Soft Microsystems Processing and Devices and Neural Interfaces . Lacour leads the Laboratory of Soft Bioelectronic Interfaces (LSBI) , a multidisciplinary research team focused on the fabrication, characterization, and in vivo evaluation of soft bioelectronic systems. The lab collaborates extensively across EPFL and with clinical partners to translate technologies from bench to bedside.
Thomas Winkler is an Associate Professor at the Division of Micro and Nanosystems, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden, and collaborates with TU Braunschweig, Germany. His research focuses on solving life science challenges using microsystems tools, particularly in neuropsychiatric disorders like schizophrenia. He develops organ-on-chip models, engineered microfluidic platforms, and biosensors for point-of-care diagnostics. Winkler leads an interdisciplinary ERC-funded team addressing metabolic coupling in neurovascular units and oxidative stress biomarkers. Key achievements include the ERC Starting Grant (2023) and work on electrochemical sensors for clozapine monitoring. He teaches courses such as Microsystem Technology (EK2350) and supervises PhD and postdoctoral researchers. Current projects include machine learning-guided robotic organoid maturation and electrochemical technology development for the CHIPzophrenia initiative. His lab actively seeks talent through open positions in Stockholm and Braunschweig. Scientific awards include the ERC Starting Grant and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Fellowship. Research spans sensor development, microfabrication, and biomaterials, with a focus on translating lab technologies to clinical applications. Collaborations bridge engineering and life sciences, emphasizing personalized mental healthcare solutions.
Georg Fantner is an Associate Professor at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) with dual appointments in the School of Engineering (STI) within the Institute of Bioengineering and the School of Life Sciences (SV) for teaching. He directs the Laboratory for Bio- and Nano-Instrumentation (LBNI) and holds leadership roles including President of the Open Science Strategic Committee and the Association des Professeurs de l'EPFL. Research Focus: Bioinstrumentation, Nanotechnology, Scanning Probe Microscopy, and Metrology Teaching: Structural Mechanics for Life Sciences, Metrology, and Metrology Practicals His research pioneers advanced instrumentation for nanoscale characterization, emphasizing data-driven approaches to enhance microscopy techniques. Recent work integrates deep learning with scanning probe microscopy for real-time biological imaging and develops novel MEMS devices for fluid-compatible nanoscale manipulation. Key innovations include hermetically sealed sample chambers for pathogen studies and deterministic nanotopography engineering. Professor Fantner actively mentors 7 current PhD students and has supervised 14 graduates. His laboratory fosters interdisciplinary collaboration across engineering, physics, and life sciences to advance nanoscale measurement technologies and instrumentation development.
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.
Steven Ceron is an Assistant Professor in Robotics at the University of Michigan's College of Engineering. His research focuses on swarm robotics, multi-agent systems, and programmable self-organization of micro- and macro-scale robot swarms. He leads the Synergetic Adaptive Machinas (SAM) Lab, which develops reconfigurable robot swarms for biomedical applications and smart materials integration. Key research areas include microrobot fabrication, heterogeneous swarm coordination, and self-reconfigurable modular systems. His work envisions seamless integration of robot swarms into daily life through innovations in design, control, and scalability. Recent publications emphasize swarmalator dynamics, strain-based coordination in soft robots, and scalable fabrication methods. His lab explores both theoretical frameworks and practical implementations, bridging micro-scale and macro-scale robotics applications. Though no awards were explicitly listed, his contributions to novel fabrication techniques and modular robotics suggest ongoing recognition in the field. Advising and grant details are not provided here, but his lab's focus on biomedical and aerospace applications indicates active collaborative projects.
Professor Will Wenmiao Shu is the Hay Chair in Biomedical Engineering and Director of Research at the Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Strathclyde. He has held positions at prestigious institutions including University of Cambridge (PhD), Heriot-Watt University (Lecturer/Reader), and Stanford University (Visiting Position). His work focuses on 3D biofabrication , bioprinting , and regenerative medicine . PhD in Electrical Engineering & Nanoscience, University of Cambridge His research pioneered the first bioprinting of human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells, enabling animal-free drug testing and 3D printed organs . Current projects include 3D Bioprinting of Vascularised Hepatic Cancer Models and BIOME: Bioplastic Injection-moulding Optimisation . Recent publications address nanometrology and soft tissue resection simulations , reflecting his interdisciplinary approach. Awards include dual Best Presentation Prizes in 2024 for work on microvascular networks and animal-free research. Editorial Board Member, IOP Biofabrication Journal Board Director, International Society for Biofabrication (ISBF) Founding Member (emeritus), Royal Society of Edinburgh’s Young Academy
Klas Hjort is a Professor of Materials Science at Uppsala University's Ångström Laboratory , specializing in Microsystems Technology . He leads the microsystems technology program and has pioneered research in heterogeneous microsystems on stainless steel, flexible foils, and elastic substrates for biomedical applications and wireless sensor/actuator systems . Key projects: SSF robotic textiles , PERSIMMON smart patches Research themes: Microfluidic actuation , Liquid metal patterning , Stretchable electronics His recent publications focus on soft robotics , smart patches , and high-pressure microfluidic systems , with keywords spanning Microfluidics , Biomedical Engineering , and Stretchable Electronics . He collaborates extensively in robotic textiles , microvalve design , and liquid metal composites . Contact: klas.hjort@angstrom.uu.se
Laura Alvarez is a Junior Chair (Tenure Track) at the University of Bordeaux since 2022, conducting research at the Paul Pascal Research Center (CRPP), a joint CNRS-University of Bordeaux unit. Her office is located at B-224, 115 Avenue du Dr Albert Schweitzer, 33600 Pessac, France, with contact via (+33) 05 56 84 30 27 or laura.alvarez-frances@u-bordeaux.fr. She leads the BIO 2.0 team's research on active matter and colloidal systems. Her educational trajectory includes: PhD at University of Bordeaux and KU Leuven (2013-2016) under Prof. MP Lettinga and Dr. Eric Grelet Postdoctoral research at ETH Zurich (2017-2021) with Prof. Lucio Isa SNSF Spark postdoctoral fellowship (2020-2021) Her research centers on Active Matter , Chemical Communication , and Bio-inspired microsystems , investigating active liposome design, colloidal-lipid membrane interactions, and collective colloidal behavior. Key methodologies include optical tweezers and microfluidics for studying enzymatic particle navigation and colloidal lattice assembly. Her publication record (2017-2023) reveals a strong focus on programmable active colloids and microfluidic applications , with significant contributions to artificial microswimmers and reconfigurable systems appearing in Nature Communications, PNAS, and Physical Review Letters. Emerging trends show increasing emphasis on biomedical applications of active matter. Key recognitions include: Spark postdoctoral grant (SNSF, 2020) IdEx PhD fellowship (2013) She secured major grants including ANR JCJ Project MYMESYS (2023) and France-Berkeley Fund (2023), while her mentoring role involves graduate student supervision through University of Bordeaux's tenure-track framework. As BIO 2.0 team lead at CRPP, she directs experimental work on active colloidal particles using microfluidic platforms and optical manipulation, maintaining active collaborations with ETH Zurich, University of Bordeaux, and international partners across Europe.
Benyamin Davaji serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Northeastern University, where he joined in January 2022. He holds additional appointments as a Center Member of The Plastics Center and Core Faculty of the Institute for NanoSystems Innovation (NanoSI). His work bridges microsystems engineering, nanofabrication, and data science to develop next-generation sensing technologies. Dr. Davaji's educational background includes: Postdoctoral Associate in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Cornell University (2016-2021) Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Marquette University (2016) His research centers on integrated microsystems with emphasis on mechanical wave-based sensing and computation, ultrasound transducers, bio-interfaces, and microcalorimetry. The Autonomous Integrated Microsystems (AIMS) Laboratory combines physics with AI/ML to invent novel sensors and computational devices through advanced nanofabrication. Key thrusts include power-sustaining architectures and analog/digital computational integration. Recent publications (2024-2025) reveal strong trends in MEMS/NEMS optimization using digital twins, plasmonically enhanced infrared detection, ferroelectric actuators for high-speed scanning, and ultrasound-enabled metrology. His work increasingly integrates machine learning for design automation and process optimization across semiconductor manufacturing and flexible hybrid electronics. Dr. Davaji advises graduate students including Yilmaz Arin Manav (PhD'28), who won the FLEX 2024 Future Student Poster Award. He has secured over $3 million in competitive funding as PI/Co-PI, including a $550k NSF grant for MEMS actuators, $330k NSF grant for quantum detectors, and $2M DARPA grant for inertial sensors. He directs the interdisciplinary AIMS Laboratory focused on MEMS, ultrasound, and calorimetric technologies. The lab collaborates extensively with NanoSI and The Plastics Center, developing autonomous microsystems for biomedical, environmental, and industrial applications through advanced manufacturing techniques.
Abraham D. Stroock is an Assistant Professor at the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, since 2003. He holds a B.A. in Physics (Cornell, 1995), M.S. in Solid State Physics (University of Paris, 1997), and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering (Harvard, 2002). His research bridges microfluidics, biophysics, and sustainable energy. Education: B.A., Physics, Cornell University (1995) M.S., Solid State Physics, University of Paris VI/XI (1997) Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, Harvard University (2002) The Stroock Lab explores micrometer-scale chemical processes inspired by plant biology, focusing on liquid manipulation, negative-pressure water properties, vascular development in tissue engineering, and fluid mechanics in microsystems. Key technologies include microtensiometers and nanoporous membranes . His recent work (2025-2024) spans optical phenotyping using soft robotics, hydromechanical signaling in plants, tissue scaffolds for regenerative medicine, and advanced models for transpiration control. These studies integrate bioengineering, nanotechnology, and environmental science. Scientific Awards: Van Ness Lectureship (2010) Camille Dreyfus Teacher Scholar Award (2009) NSF CAREER Award (2008) MIT Technology Review TR35 (2007) ONR Young Investigator Award (2004) 3M Non-Tenured Faculty Award (2006) Beckman Young Investigator Award (2006) Dreyfus New Faculty Award (2003) He has led projects on superheated loop heat pipes , phosphorescent oxygen sensors , and synthetic tree-on-a-chip systems. His teaching includes advanced biomolecular engineering (ChemE 7770), and he contributes to policy through the Chemistry and Chemical Biology (CBE) Policy Committee.
