Keynote Speakers

  • Robotic tools for studying human biomechanics in healthy subjects and neurological patients

    Abstract: The fourth industrial revolution is bringing together robotics, digital mobile devices and services, wearable sensors and IoT systems, building a highly interconnected ecosystem often intimately coupled with human beings and their body. The biomedical sector can leverage on this revolution by exploiting such integrated technologies to foster cutting edge research in a variety of fields, from basic science research to biological and medical applications.

  • Soft, Wearable Systems with Integrated Microfluidics and Biosensors for Remote Health Monitoring

    Abstract: Soft, wearable electronics and microfluidics, enabled by recent advances in materials science and mechanics, have been designed with mechanical properties that approach the flexibility and elasticity of human skin. These systems are referred to as epidermal electronics and epifluidics by virtue of their stretchable form factors and soft mechanics compared to conventional packaged electronics and sensors. In this presentation, I will provide an overview of recent advances in mechanics and designs for emerging classes of fully-integrated wearable microfluidic systems. These devices incorporate arrays of sensors, microfluidic channels and electrochemical sensors, configured in flexible formats for continuous monitoring of hydration, stress, and health biomarkers. Quantitative analyses of device performance in field trials highlight the utility of these wearable systems in clinical and uncontrolled settings. We will conclude with representative and commercialized examples of these wearable systems, in sports and industrial safety sectors.

  • 3D Microfluidic cell culture device recapitulating the acceleration of drug resistance in tumor and spreading of virus infection in a human society

    Abstract: In this presentation, I introduce microfluidic devices with heterogeneous microhabitat for studying cancer drug resistance and virus transmission. By integrating concentration gradients and microfabricated habitat in a microfluidic chip, we could mimic the spatiotemporally heterogeneous ecosystem of cancer cells in the tumor tissues of patients receiving chemotherapy. The same chip can be used to recapitulate the virus propagation and herd immunity of COVID-19 virus. These results suggest that microfluidic devices with heterogeneous microhabitat can be utilized for drug screening as well as mathematical modeling of vaccination.