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Experimental and theoretical investigation of phenomena at the interface of biological and synthetic systems at the micro and nanoscale.

MICRON Base

The Micro/NanoScale Biotic/Abiotic Systems (MicroN BASE) Engineering Laboratory was founded in 2009 by Professor Behkam in the Mechanical Engineering Department.

Current research activities can be divided into two broad categories: (1) Developing bio-hybrid engineered systems in which biological components are utilized for actuation, sensing, communication, and control (e.g. bacteria-enabled autonomous drug delivery systems for cancer therapy) (2) Studying the mechanism of adhesion, motility and sensing in mammalian cells and unicellular microorganisms (e.g. effect of surface nanotopography on fungal biofilm formation). We utilize 2D and 3D microfluidic platforms to establish well-defined and repeatable test environments for most of our projects.


Research areas


Open Positions

PhD and postdoc positions are available immediately.


News and events

2024

Aug 26 Welcome to our new Ph.D students in Mechanical Engineering, Vera Bordah and Jongbok Lee!

Aug 26 Yanna Willett, an undergraduate student in Biochemistry joins our lab. Welcome to the MicroN BASE Lab, Yanna!

May 22  Molly Nystrom, an undergraduate student in Biochemistry joins our lab. Welcome to the MicroN BASE Lab, Molly!

2023

Oct 24 Congratulations to Imen and our lab on the publication of our review paper in the Emerging Leaders in Biological Engineering Collection of the Journal of Biological Engineering. 

Sept 4 Two outstanding undergraduate researchers join the MicroN BASE lab. We welcome Julia Frederick and Charles Smith!