John Oakey

John Oakey is a Professor and Graduate Coordinator in the Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Wyoming, with additional affiliations to the INBRE Program, Molecular and Cellular Life Sciences Program, and Materials Science and Engineering Program.

Education

• Postdoctoral Fellow, Center for Engineering in Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School (2007–2010)
• Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, Colorado School of Mines (2003)
• M.S. Chemical Engineering, Colorado School of Mines (1999)
• B.S. Chemical Engineering, Penn State University (1997)

Research Interests

Oakey’s laboratory integrates fluid dynamics, colloidal science and materials science to understand how biological systems behave under flow, on surfaces and within complex 3-D geometries. A unifying theme is the use of microfabrication and microfluidics to create new diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic platforms. Current thrusts include:

• Heterogeneous biomaterials: self-assembled particulate tissue scaffolds whose mechanical and transport properties can be temporally programmed.
• Inertial microfluidics: exploiting lift forces for membrane-free particle sorting, enrichment and diagnostics.
• Multi-temporal analysis by flow cytometry: development of closed-loop, high-throughput microfluidic cytometers for longitudinal single-cell studies.

Publication Trends

From 2025 back to 2010, Oakey’s articles reveal a consistent trajectory that marries fundamental physics (microtubule mechanics, inertial focusing) with translational applications (cell encapsulation, tissue scaffolds, drug delivery). Recent work (2023-2025) increasingly targets injectable granular hydrogels, single-cell therapeutic delivery and sustainable carbon-sequestering living materials, demonstrating an evolution from microscale transport phenomena to macroscopic biomedical and environmental impact.

Scientific Awards

No named awards are listed in the supplied text.

Advising & Coordination Roles

As Graduate Coordinator for the Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Professor Oakey oversees graduate program development and student mentoring. While no individual students are named, his role implies active supervision of M.S. and Ph.D. advisees in chemical and biomedical engineering.

Laboratory & Teams

The Oakey Research Group operates from the Energy and Environmental Research Building (EERB 435A) at the University of Wyoming. The lab enjoys R1-level research infrastructure and collaborates broadly with the Wyoming INBRE network, the Molecular and Cellular Life Sciences Program, and the Materials Science and Engineering Program.