معرفی
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.
