Md Taher Abu Saif

Md Taher Abu Saif is a Professor at the University of Illinois, holding concurrent appointments in Mechanical Science and Engineering, Bioengineering, Biomedical and Translational Sciences, Neuroscience Program, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, and Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology. His research bridges mechanics and biology, focusing on nanoscale material behavior and cellular biomechanics. He pioneered studies on reversible plasticity in nanocrystalline metals and explored mechanical forces' role in cellular functions like cancer metastasis and neural activity.

Education includes a Ph.D. in Theoretical & Applied Mechanics from Cornell University (1993), M.S. in Civil Engineering from Washington State University (1987), and B.S. in Civil Engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (1984, with Honors).

His research interests span biohybrid robotics, engineered living systems, and deformation mechanisms in nanomaterials. Recent work addresses neural network ontogeny, tumor solid stresses, and ethics in biohybrid robotics. Key contributions include the Elastic Modulus Pen (EPen) and neural activity scoring frameworks.

Advising and grants are central to his profile, though specific grant details are not provided. His labs and teams collaborate across disciplines, leveraging the Beckman Institute and Genomic Biology Institute's resources. Notable achievements include Science journal publications on self-healing metals and PNAS contributions on biohybrid systems.