Tayfun Efe Ertop

Tayfun Efe Ertop is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Vanderbilt University's School of Engineering. He is affiliated with the Medical Engineering and Discovery Lab (MEDLab). His research focuses on Design, Sensing, and Control of Soft and Continuum Robots, particularly in surgical applications to address clinical challenges through engineering innovation.

Education:

• Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, Vanderbilt University (2023)
• M.S., Mechanical Engineering, Middle East Technical University (2017)
• B.S., Mechanical Engineering, Middle East Technical University (2014)

Research Interests: Dr. Ertop specializes in advancing robot autonomy for minimally invasive surgery. His work integrates robotics, biomedical engineering, and control systems to develop next-generation surgical tools. Key areas include soft robotics, continuum robot design, and sensor-based control strategies for medical applications.

Labs & Teams: He contributes to the Medical Engineering and Discovery Lab (MEDLab), which explores interdisciplinary solutions at the intersection of engineering and healthcare.