Michael Cross

Dr. Michael Cross is a faculty member at the University of South Florida’s Judy Genshaft Honors College where he designs and teaches interdisciplinary courses on research, creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship. He concurrently leads biotechnology research spanning 3D-bioprinting, stimuli-responsive biomaterials and cell culture technologies, and is the founder of USF-spinout Nascence focused on next-generation diagnostics and sustainable agriculture.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Applied Physics, University of South Florida
• M.S. in Entrepreneurship & Applied Technology, University of South Florida
• B.S. in Computer Science, University of Texas at San Antonio

Research Interests:

Cross’s scholarship integrates applied physics and entrepreneurial translation. His laboratory develops smart biomaterial interfaces—especially thermo-responsive hydrogels—that permit gentle, high-yield harvest of living cell sheets and 3D tissue modules. These platforms underpin automated bioprinting workflows, rapid cell-expansion protocols for cultured meat, and programmable diagnostics. Additional work employs label-free digital holographic microscopy to quantify how migrating cells deform their micro-environment, yielding new metrics of cellular force generation.

Publication Trends:

Across 15 recent articles (2011-2025) Cross advances two synergistic streams: (i) engineering of stimuli-responsive polymer surfaces for non-invasive cell release and modular tissue assembly, and (ii) high-resolution optical measurement of cell-generated forces. Continuous innovation in hydrogel chemistry, surface topography and high-throughput bioprinting illustrates a trajectory toward scalable biofabrication and regenerative technologies.

Honors & Awards:

• Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Bridge-to-Doctorate Fellow – 2010
• USF Provost’s Award for Outstanding STEM Teaching by a Graduate Assistant – 2014
• McKnight Doctoral Fellowship – 2015
• NSF National Innovation Corps (I-Corps) Grant – 2015

Grants & Entrepreneurial Activity:

Cross has secured federal and state support for both educational innovation and technology translation, including NSF I-Corps funding that underpinned customer discovery for his biotechnology start-up, Nascence, which is commercializing rapid cell-release platforms for biomanufacturing and ag-tech markets.

Teaching & Student Engagement:

As former Director of the Office of Undergraduate Research and current Honors College faculty, he mentors large cohorts of undergraduates in course-based research experiences and start-up internships, emphasizing employability, societal impact and a “pay-it-forward” ethos.