Sho Takatori

Sho Takatori is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). His research focuses on the nonequilibrium statistical mechanics and fluid dynamics of soft materials, integrating experimental, theoretical, and computational approaches to study complex systems such as active colloids, bacterial biofilms, and cell membrane interfaces. The Takatori Lab aims to bridge materials science, physics, and bioengineering to advance understanding of complex fluid dynamics.

Education

• Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley (2012)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology (Caltech) (2017)

Research Interests

Dr. Takatori explores emergent properties in soft materials, including active matter systems, membrane biophysics, and colloidal self-assembly. His work emphasizes the interplay between microscopic dynamics and macroscopic material behavior. Key areas include:

• Active colloidal suspensions and their collective behavior
• Membrane domain organization and actin network mechanics
• Control strategies for active matter using physics-informed models

Awards & Honors

• Miller Research Fellowship, UC Berkeley (2017)
• Milton and Francis Clauser Doctoral Prize, Caltech (2017)
• NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, Caltech (2015)
• Gates Millennium Scholar, Caltech (2012)

Lab & Collaborations

The Takatori Lab at UCSB develops novel experimental tools and computational frameworks to study complex fluids. Current projects involve:

• Neural network-augmented control of active particles
• Dynamic surfactant-driven colloidal assembly
• Membrane domain regulation via active surface flows