MMB 2026 | 7-11 December 2026 | Maui, Hawaii, USA

Plenary Speakers

Shana Kelley
Chen Zuckerberg Biohub Chicago & Northwestern University, USA

Michael Koeris
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), USA

Kate Rubins
NASA & University of Pittsburgh, USA

SCALING THE MICROSCALE: THE RISE OF EXTREME MICROFLUIDICS
Mehmet Toner
Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School, USA

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Microfluidics has traditionally enabled precise manipulation of minute fluid volumes, but its broader application has been constrained by limited throughput and the complexity of real-world biological fluids. Here, we introduce "extreme microfluidics," extending microscale principles to process large volumes of complex, non-Newtonian fluids such as whole blood while preserving precision and gentle handling of living cells. We highlight key innovations leveraging multiplexing, inertial and viscoelastic effects, and integrated multi-physics platforms to enable high-throughput separation and manipulation of rare cells. These advances include both positive selection and label-free negative depletion strategies, as well as inertial focusing approaches that allow continuous, high-speed control of particles without external forces. Scalable parallelization and non-equilibrium processing further enable clinically relevant throughput and efficient isolation of rare single cells and multicellular clusters under physiologically gentle conditions. Together, these developments bridge microscale precision with macroscale processing, establishing extreme microfluidics as a powerful platform for applications in diagnostics, cell therapy, and large-scale bioprocessing.

MODELING OF BREAST CANCER METASTASIS IN A CONFIGURABLE MULTI-TISSUE PLATFORM WITH VASCULAR CIRCULATION
Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic
Columbia University, USA

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Microphysiological tissue platforms are increasingly successful in modeling human pathophysiology. We report a human multi-tissue model of cancer metastasis, with engineered bone and lung tissues linked to by vascular flow containing circulating cancer and immune cells. Cancer cells extravasated towards both tissues, remodeled their niches, and acquired transcriptional programs for adaptation to the local tissue microenvironments. Consistent with the in vivo behavior, bone-tropic cancer cell populations colonized bone and induced osteolysis, in contrast to lung-tropic cell populations that caused disruption of lung epithelium. Distinct patterns of tissue colonization and secreted factors maintained over several weeks of culture demonstrated that this platform recapitulates some of the key features of organ-specific metastasis.

Invited Speakers

Bench to Beside Translation

LINKING CELLULAR FUNCTION & STATE USING LAB ON A PARTICLE TECHNOLOGY
Dino Di Carlo
University of California, Los Angeles, USA

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Biology is organized through interactions, between molecules, cells, and tissues, yet many of our most powerful measurement tools still average across large populations, obscuring rare functional states and transient cell - cell programs that drive immunity, cancer, and tissue repair. In this plenary lecture, I will describe our group's "Lab‑on‑a‑Particle" platform: microscale, biofunctional particles that template and compartmentalize single cells (and defined cell pairs) into millions of independent assay units that can be processed with standard lab workflows and read out by flow cytometry and sequencing. I will first introduce Nanovials, hydrogel microparticles with an engineered inner cavity that can be selectively functionalized to capture secreted proteins while keeping producing cells viable. This architecture enables secretion‑encoded single‑cell assays that link function to genotype: cells can be screened based on secretory output or binding activity, then recovered for downstream single‑cell RNA‑seq or targeted sequencing to obtain the underlying receptor/antibody sequences. These capabilities provide a general route to accelerate discovery of therapeutic antibodies and T cell receptors, and to optimize engineered immune cells by screening directly on functional potency. Next, I will discuss how extending "lab‑on‑a‑particle" from single cells to defined interactions opens a direct window into pairwise cellular programs. Our Cell‑Cell‑seq approach uses Nanovials to co‑encapsulate two cells in a controlled microenvironment, allowing parallel measurement of dyad‑specific functional outputs (e.g., cytokine secretion, activation markers) coupled to transcriptomic profiling of each partner. By comparing paired‑cell responses to matched single‑cell controls, we can distinguish interaction‑induced gene programs from intrinsic state, identify directional responses, and begin to map how heterogeneous tumor and immune populations engage one another. Together, these tools provide a scalable route to connect cellular function, interaction context, and molecular identity, ultimately providing a foundation for next‑generation therapeutics and data that train predictive models of cell behavior.

Kevin King
University of California, San Diego, USA

MICROFLUIDIC APPROACHES TO SICKLE CELL PATHOPHYSIOLOGY: CELLULAR HETEROGENEITY, BLOOD RHEOLOGY, AND SINGLE-CELL POLYMERIZATION KINETICS
David Wood
University of Minnesota, USA

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Sickle cell disease (SCD) is driven by the oxygen-dependent polymerization of hemoglobin S, which stiffens red blood cells (RBCs) and impairs microvascular flow. A critical feature of SCD is the mechanical heterogeneity of the circulating RBC population: even under deoxygenated conditions, patients harbor mixtures of stiff and deformable cells whose proportions vary substantially across individuals. Understanding how this heterogeneity shapes blood flow across scales from single-cell dynamics to bulk rheology is essential for connecting molecular pathology to clinical outcomes. We previously established, using microfluidic deformability cytometry, that two mechanically distinct RBC subpopulations co-exist in SCD patients, with stiff cell fractions varying in an oxygen-dependent and patient-specific manner. Building on this, we developed an integrated microfluidic platform for simultaneous measurement of single-cell mechanical properties and whole-blood flow dynamics within the same patient sample. Effective blood viscosity across donors is explained primarily by the proportion of stiff RBCs, consistent with rigid-particle suspension models despite substantial within-sample heterogeneity. Combining experiments with simulations and spatially resolved imaging, we show that emergent rheology arises from two microscale mechanisms: margination of stiff cells toward channel walls at intermediate oxygen tensions, and localized jamming driven by hematocrit heterogeneity under full deoxygenation. Cell mechanical heterogeneity is thus the primary driver of inter-patient variability in rheology. Finally, we present new microfluidic measurements of hemoglobin polymerization kinetics at the single-cell level, resolving cell-to-cell variability in polymerization delay times and their dependence on cellular biochemical properties.

Multiscale Mechanobiology of Cells and Matrix

EXTRACELLULAR MECHANOBIOLOGICAL INFORMATION TRANSFER ACROSS SCALES FOR REGENERATIVE ENGINEERING
Jae Won Shin
University of Michigan, USA

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Cells continuously sense mechanical cues from their microenvironment, yet how regenerative mechanical information is transmitted across tissues remains poorly understood. Here, I present a framework in which extracellular structures act as carriers of mechanobiological information across length scales, enabling cell-free control of tissue repair. These studies were initiated through systematic analyses of mesenchymal stromal cells and their secretions in regenerative and injury contexts, but reveal broadly conserved mechanobiological principles that transcend cell types and biological kingdoms. Using engineered microscale matrices enabled by droplet microfluidic single-cell encapsulation, we identified matricrine mechanisms underlying epithelial regeneration and developed synthetic microgels that recapitulate regenerative matrix functions. Extending beyond engineered microenvironments, we discovered matrimeres, a class of non-vesicular extracellular matrix - DNA nanoscale assemblies released by diverse cells that circulate systemically and regulate vascular homeostasis. In parallel, we engineered extracellular vesicles with lipid-tuned membranes that enable force-resilient ligand presentation under flow and reinforce endothelial barrier function. Together, these findings support a unified model in which extracellular matrices, matrix-derived assemblies, and vesicular systems constitute complementary modes of mechanobiological information transfer across scales, providing fundamental design principles for regenerative engineering and the development of cell-free therapeutic platforms.

MECHANOMICS: DECODING CELLULAR STATES BY SHAPE, MOTION, AND STRESS
Jennifer Shin
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), KOREA

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Cells are constantly shaped not only by molecular programs but also by the physical environments they inhabit. Mechanics influences cell fate, collective organization, and disease progression, motivating the emerging framework of mechanomics, a systems-level framework for mapping and interpreting relationships between microenvironmental cues, mechanically encoded traits, and cellular states. In this talk, I will discuss how cell states can be understood through three physically interpretable dimensions: shape, motion, and stress. Moving beyond static molecular endpoints, we seek to capture dynamic cellular adaptation through measurable changes in morphology, migratory behavior, and force-related readouts. I will first introduce this framework in epithelial monolayers, where collective behaviors such as jamming transitions can be resolved through integrated analysis of cell shape, movement, and stress distribution. I will then present fibroblasts as a model of mechanical adaptation and heterogeneity, showing how extracellular matrix density, stiffness, and spatial gradients reshape stromal states and functions. Through studies of fibroblasts and cancer-associated fibroblasts, this work aims to establish a quantitative framework for mechano-phenotyping within mechanomics, providing new insight into dynamic cellular adaptation across development, fibrosis, aging, and cancer.

Lydia Sohn
University of California, Berkeley, USA

MECHANOBIOLOGY OF CANCER INVASION AND METASTASIS MEDIATED BY 3D EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX
Ian Wong
Brown University, USA

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Invasion and metastasis are a hallmark of cancer and governed by mechanical interactions with the extracellular matrix. Indeed, there exists a dynamic reciprocity where by cell migration is shaped by matrix architecture, but the matrix architecture is (in turn) shaped by cell migration. We seek to reverse engineer human tumor progression using biomimetic platforms that reveal collective behaviors in space and time. Here, I present my lab's recent results on the mechanobiology of cancer cells. First, we analyze the disorganization and dissemination of multicellular spheroids cultured in 3D matrix, which exhibit a transition from coordinated circumferential orbiting towards radial matrix invasion. Second, we analyze how human circulating tumor cells that metastasize to particular organs in patients and xenograft models adhere to decellularized extracellular matrix. We further use gene expression profiling to predict drug sensitivity and identify candidate drug compounds. We envision these technologies can enable new fundamental insights into the interplay between tumor cells and their physical microenviroment, with potential translation for precision medicine and drug development.

Engineered Immune and Stem Cell Therapies

ADVANCED MICROFLUIDIC PLATFORMS FOR CELL ENGINEERING AND GENOME EDITING
Aram Chung
Korea University, KOREA

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Effective cellular engineering and genome editing begin with the efficient delivery of external biomolecules, including DNA, RNA, plasmids, proteins, and nanomaterials, into the cytosol or nucleus. Conventional approaches such as viral vectors, cationic lipids, and electroporation are widely used but often fail to simultaneously achieve high delivery efficiency, robust cell viability, and the preservation of cellular phenotype and function. To address these challenges, we have developed integrated intracellular delivery strategies for both ex vivo and in vivo applications. For ex vivo applications, a microfluidic platform leveraging controlled fluid-cell interactions within confined microchannels induces transient membrane permeabilization. This strategy enables rapid, convective biomolecule delivery while maintaining high viability and scalability, making it well-suited for cell manufacturing. In parallel, for in vivo applications, a high-throughput screening platform for ionizable lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) enables the rapid identification of optimized transfection formulations tailored to specific cell types and therapeutic objectives for systemic nucleic acid delivery. In this presentation, various platforms that enable both ex vivo cell engineering and in vivo therapeutic applications will be discussed. Furthermore, our ongoing commercialization efforts aimed at translating these platforms into clinical and industrial settings will be presented as well.

Eun Ji Chung
University of Southern California, USA

ENGINEERING PRECISION BIOMATERIALS FOR THERAPEUTIC DELIVERY AND IMMUNE MODULATION
Tejal Desai
Brown University, USA

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The field of nanomedicine offers great potential to revolutionize clinical care, including medical devices, regenerative medicine, and molecular imaging approaches. Recent advancements in nanofabrication and molecular assembly lay the groundwork for creating biomaterials with a high level of control at the sub-cellular scale. These subtle interactions with cell and tissue assemblies can modulate properties such as adhesion, uptake, transport, and immune activation. In this talk, I will present an overview of our recent work in developing injectable nanostructured materials for antibody delivery and sustained biomoledcular presentation including injectable antibody factories and high aspect ratio particles to potentiate endogenous cytokines. Additionally, DNA scaffolded particles can be designed to engage with immune cell subsets and enhance cell-specific targeting, allowing for highly programmable drug delivery systems with nanometer-scale precision. By leveraging the specific binding properties of DNA, one can control the ratiometric and spatial arrangement of ligands and therapeutic payloads on a particle's surface. This "architectural" approach enhances how these particles interact with biological barriers, significantly improving targeted delivery and the immune system's response to disease.

MICROFLUIDICS FOR PRECISION IMMUNOMEDICINE
Abraham Lee
University of California, Irvine, USA

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Precision medicine is the paradigm to develop treatments for patients based on molecular-targets that are effective in vivo when administered. That is, one must not only be able to identify molecular and cellular targets that are the source of disease but also understand how these targets behave inside the body based on physiological principles. Since microfluidics bridges the scales of molecular, cellular, tissue, and can even recapitulate organ and circulatory functions of the body it is the ideal platform technology to develop personalized medicine. The immune system is involved in all aspects of medicine, ranging from healthy wellness, disease onset, diagnosis, prognosis, to systemic treatment. It is the quintessential armor defending our body from all types of injuries and diseases. "Immunomedicine" involves the real-time assessment of the immune status and the reinforcement and engineering of the immune system to overcome and breakdown in this health armor - immunoengineering or immunotherapy. Immunoengineering involves the "reprogramming" of the immune system to overcome limitations of the innate or adaptive immune responses that the body naturally produces. Microfluidic technologies can address most steps of this complex cell manufacturing process, including cell harvesting, cell isolation, cell activation and expansion, and cell transfection. In this talk I will introduce two microfluidic platforms in my lab applied to immunoengineering. First, thee acoustic electric shear orbiting poration (AESOP) device is able to uniformly deliver genetic cargos into a large population of cells simultaneously. We demonstrate high quality transfected cells with controlled dosage delivery as well as sequential delivery of different genetic cargos. These capabilities can be used to optimize the therapeutic efficacy of the engineered cells and also combine it with promising gene editing tools to further condition the cells for more specific in vivo targeting. Second, we constructed bottom-up artificial antigen presenting cells (aAPCs) for antigen-specific T cell activation. We demonstrated immune synapses formed between T cells and aAPCs that resulted in the expansion of antigen-specific CD4+ T cells by 16-fold, CD8+ T cells by 233-fold, and cytokine secretion increase up to 28-fold. In terms of immune status assessment, I will present a technology termed "Arrayed Droplet Optical Projection Tomography" or ADOPT. By trapping single cells in microfluidic droplet compartments, we are able to study the 3D morphology immune cells to distinguish immune cell activation states and immune cell synapses.

Extracellular Vesicles – Analysis and Therapeutics

ELECTROKINETIC MICROCHIP PLATFORM FOR EXTRACELLULAR VESICLE-BASED DIAGNOSTICS AND REGENERATIVE MEDICINE
Leyla Esfandiari
University of Cincinnati, USA

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Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are increasingly recognized as central regulators of intercellular communication and powerful biomarkers for disease diagnostics and regenerative medicine. In this talk, I will present a novel electrokinetic microchip platform that enables rapid, label-free isolation of EVs directly from complex biological samples. By integrating isolation with impedance-based sensing, this technology provides real-time characterization of vesicle biophysical properties, offering new insights into EV function. This scalable platform has the potential to transform point-of-care diagnostics and accelerate the development of EV-based therapeutic strategies.

INTERROGATING THE EXTRACELLULAR VESICLE PROTEOME TO DESIGN A BRAIN PENETRATING NANOVESICLE CHASSIS
Steven George
University of California, Davis, USA

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Drug delivery strategies to penetrate the blood-brain barrier has proven remarkably challenging. Despite intense efforts over many decades, there are still no FDA approved drug delivery strategies to target the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and thus sites in the brain interstitium. This failure impacts the treatment of a host of diseases of the brain with remarkably poor outcomes and few therapeutic options, including, but not limited to, glioblastoma and Alzheimer's. While current strategies rely on inefficient "single-receptor" targeting, nature has already solved this problem: subpopulations of extracellular vesicles (EVs) naturally traverse the blood-brain barrier (BBB). However, the transport of EVs is inefficient and not scalable for clinical translation. If we are to leverage the ability of EVs to traverse the BBB (e.g., functionalize a nanovesicle), we must discover the specific "combinatorial code" of surface proteins (distribution and identity) that enables distinct EV subpopulations to penetrate the brain. We have tackled this problem using a combination of approaches including in vitro 3D models of the BBB, interrogation of the EV proteome, and "cell free" synthesis of functionalized liposomes. Our early results demonstrate a productive workflow and the identification of protein candidates that actively participate in efficient BBB transport.

VERY LARGE SCALE INTEGRATED MICROFLUIDICS (VLSMI) TO DISCOVER AND MANUFACTURE PRECISION MICRO/NANO-SCALE MATERIALS
David Issadore
University of Pennsylvania, USA

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Microfluidic technologies offer precise control over micro- and nanoparticles, but low production rates have limited industrial translation. We present a scalable microfluidic platform that integrates arrays of over 20,000 parallel material generators, achieving industrial-scale throughput while maintaining monodispersity and design flexibility. This approach supports fabrication across diverse materials and enables complex emulsions and core–shell structures. Using this platform, we scaled production of polymer drug microparticles, Janus particles, and shape-programmable hydrogels, and developed parallelized mixing arrays for lipid nanoparticle (LNP) RNA formulations without compromising physical quality or biological performance. Building on this, we further demonstrate automated, high-throughput generation of large, precisely-defined libraries of LNP formulations, enabling systematic exploration of compositional and structural design spaces for nucleic acid delivery. These capabilities position the technology as a versatile route to industrial manufacturing of designer soft materials and LNP libraries for rapid therapeutic discovery and deployment.

Microfluidic Processing for Single Cell Analysis

TEASING APART THE PROTEOME OF CELLULAR INTERACTIONS IN MAMMALIAN TO MARINE SYSTEMS
Amy Herr
University of California, Berkeley, USA

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My lab is interested in design of microanalytical tools to address cellular-resolution questions that are difficult (or impossible) to answer with existing approaches. We tackle questions where protein expression, state, and function play important biological roles, and we are particularly interested in questions where proteoforms (e.g., protein isoforms) are key molecular players.

In this talk, I will focus on two areas where precision microfluidic tools for molecular and cellular measurements are accelerating biological understanding.

First, we aim to move cell atlasing into an era of single-cell proteome profiling. Here, I will describe our work to map the proteomic state of a remarkable symbiosis of two distinct organisms: cnidarians (e.g., coral, anemones) that have internalized algae to harness the energy stores generated by algal photosynthesis. We tease apart proteomic response of anemone gastrodermal cells in symbiosis with compatible and also incompatible algal strains. Our overarching goal is to shed insight on the breakdown of symbiosis in this critical marine system.

Second, I will describe recent research from my lab that physically links together multiple, independent measurement modalities in a 'single-cell, same-cell' paradigm. Such so-called "joint analyses" are important to directly correlate different - but interrelated - layers of molecular information. These types of joint analyses may play important roles in generative models of cells and cellular systems, owing to low biological and technical noise. Here, I will describe a suite of approaches that allow us to interrogate the nuclear nucleic acid compartment versus cytoplasmic protein compartment, with specific application to breast cancer biology. Our long-term vision is to create tools that allow researchers to ex-post query a unique originating cell for protein-level information, as informed by a priori sequencing-based discovery.

Taken together, we strive to introduce tools uniquely equipped to measure both cellular and molecular heterogeneity as a means to more comprehensively understand cellular form and function.

Elliot Hui
University of California, Irvine, USA

Aaron Streets
University of California, Berkeley, USA

Anubhav Tripathi
Brown University, USA

Multimodal Imaging and AI

Elliot Botvinick
University of California, Irvine, USA

HIGH-SPEED HIGH-THROUGHPUT IMAGING OF NEURONAL ELECTRICITY FOR NETWORK MODELING AND DRUG SCREENING
Michael Lin
Stanford University, USA

HOLOTOMOGRAPHY AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: LABEL-FREE 3D IMAGING, CLASSIFICATION, AND INFERENCE OF LIVE CELLS, TISSUES, AND ORGANOIDS
YongKeun Park
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), KOREA

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Holotomography (HT) is a label-free imaging technique that enables high-resolution, three-dimensional quantitative imaging of live cells, tissues, and organoids by using refractive index (RI) distributions as intrinsic imaging contrast [1 - 3]. Similar to X-ray computed tomography, HT acquires multiple two-dimensional holograms of a specimen under various illumination angles, and reconstructs a 3D RI distribution by inversely solving the wave equation. Recent advances have extended HT applications to highly relevant biological systems, including embryos, oocytes, and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), in addition to conventional cell lines and patient-derived organoids. These developments highlight the unique ability of HT to non-invasively monitor developmental dynamics, cellular heterogeneity, and tissue-level organization with quantitative precision. By combining the label-free and quantitative 3D imaging capabilities of HT with artificial intelligence (AI), synergistic opportunities arise for segmentation, classification, and inference [3 - 6]. AI-driven models can enhance the extraction of morphological and biophysical features from HT data, supporting tasks ranging from embryo quality assessment to disease classification and prediction of therapeutic responses. In this presentation, we will discuss the potential benefits and challenges of integrating QPI and AI for biomedical imaging and diagnostics. We will also highlight recent progress [8 - 9] and share perspectives on future research directions. Overall, the integration of HT and AI offers transformative potential for advancing life science, regenerative medicine, and clinical decision-making.

Amy Shen
Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, JAPAN

Nano-Enabled Bioelectronics

Kiana Aran
University of California, San Diego, USA

Jia Liu
Harvard University, USA

MICROFABRICATED NEURAL TISSUE CHIPS FOR STUDYING THE GUT-BRAIN AXIS
Erkin Seker
University of California, Davis, USA

Next Generation Microphysiological Systems

David Beebe
University of Wisconsin, USA

Noo Li Jeon
Seoul National University, KOREA

Salman Khetani
University of Illinois, Chicago, USA

FLOW PERFUSION VIA INTEGRATED VASCULATURE DRIVES HUMAN BRAIN ORGANOID MATURATION AND ENABLES MODELING OF MICROGLIA-VASCULATURE TRAFFICKING
Angela Wu
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), CHINA

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Cerebral organoids are invaluable for modeling human brain development and disease, but their physiological relevance is constrained by the lack of perfusable vasculature. We developed the first long-term cultured perfusable vascularized human cerebral organoid (pvhCO) model that integrates intrinsic vasculature with an engineered, external microfluidic vascular network. Active flow perfusion in pvhCOs reduced hypoxia, enhanced organoid growth, promoted neuron and glia differentiation, reconstituting the transcriptomic landscape of the 9-12 post-conception week (PCW) human fetal brain as early as Day 70 of culture. Endothelial cells in pvhCOs acquired a more specialized, neural tissue-associated signature, upregulating genes associated with barrier maintenance, fetal angiogenesis, and flow-response. Functionally, the pvhCO model also exhibited increased spontaneous spike amplitudes and more complex network activity. By loading microglia into microfluidic channels, we demonstrated that they actively infiltrate organoid tissue via the integrated perfusable vasculature, adopting both migratory and homeostatic morphologies in-situ post-colonization of the neural tissue. This represents the first direct observation of microglia-vasculature trafficking and colonization within a functionally perfusable human neurodevelopmental context. Our model provides a physiologically relevant platform to investigate neurovascular interactions and model diseases, offering a manipulatable human-specific alternative to animal models.

Rapid Molecular Diagnostics

MICROTECHNOLOGIES TO ADDRESS GRAND CHALLENGES IN SEPSIS AND BLOOD STREAM INFECTIONS
Rashid Bashir
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA

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Infectious diseases and Sepsis are grand challenges of our times and taking a huge tole on the world at large. Integration of biology, medicine, and engineering at the micro and nano scale offers tremendous opportunities for solving important problems to enable a wide range of applications in diagnostics and detection of disease markers. Microfluidics, nanotechnology, and Lab-on-Chip can address many grand challenges in personalized diagnostics such elimination of blood culture, profiling of immune systems and disease markers, point-of-care counting of specific cells from whole blood, and for detection of nucleic acids using CRISPR based sensitive and specific personalized technologies. I will present our group’s past and recent work in the development and translation of these technologies for advancing personalized medicine for diagnosis of infection and stratification of sepsis.

AIR-GAP PAPER MICROFLUIDIC DEVICES FOR PHARMACEUTICAL QUALITY SCREENING
Marya Lieberman
University of Notre Dame, USA

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Our lab develops paper microfluidic devices and kits suitable for use in field settings for tasks such as detection of bad quality medicines. In 2014, we developed a wax-printed paper analytical device, or PAD. The PAD translates the chemical functional groups present in a pharmaceutical dosage form into a color bar code. The PAD is integrated with a mobile app, the PADreader, which evaluates the results from samples, and with VERIFY, a cloud-based sample tracking system. PAD screening has uncovered multiple bad quality pharmaceuticals in low- and middle-income countries, for example, three lots of substandard cisplatin. We are collaborating with researchers and regulators in five countries in sub-Saharan Africa to do implementation studies requiring thousands of PADs per year. When Xerox stopped making wax printers in 2016, alternative methods for mesoscale production of PADs became a critical path for this research. A roll-to-roll process in which 2 mm air gaps separate different reaction areas and/or fluidic channels proved satisfactory for production of PADs. This talk will focus on how the roll-to-roll process works and the types of paper devices for which it can be adapted.

CHIP-TO-CLINIC: A TRANSLATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR CANCER IMMUNITY CYCLE
Jacqueline Linnes
Purdue University, USA

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My research program as an emerging investigator begins with a fundamental question: why have microfluidic technologies, despite decades of promising laboratory demonstrations, struggled to find a lasting place in the clinic? The answer lies not in a lack of scientific creativity but in a lack of translational discipline. Promising devices are frequently developed without sufficient consideration of whether they can be reliably reproduced or scaled beyond the originating laboratory. My program addresses this gap through what I call a chip-to-clinic framework, an end-to-end research architecture that connects device engineering to patient care in a deliberate and coherent way. The foundation of this framework is a microfluidic platform developed with reproducibility and throughput as primary design goals. Through systematic optimization of fabrication protocols, surface chemistry, and fluidic control, we have produced a chip that performs consistently across operators, experimental runs, and institutional settings. This engineering rigor is precisely what distinguishes a research prototype from a tool that clinicians can trust. With this reliable platform established, we directed our attention to one of the most consequential challenges in oncology: understanding why the immune system succeeds against cancer in some patients and fails in others. Approaching this through the Cancer-Immunity Cycle, we used our platform to capture and functionally profile circulating immune cells directly from patient blood, constructing patient-specific maps of immune activity at each stage of this cascade. These maps revealed immune signatures associated with therapeutic responsiveness and disease trajectory, offering biological resolution that standard assays cannot provide. Most recently, we have integrated artificial intelligence into this pipeline. The high-dimensional data generated by our platform is well suited for machine learning, and we are developing models that classify immune phenotypes, identify predictive biomarkers, and generalize findings across diverse patient populations. The goal is not to incorporate AI as a superficial addition but to transform our platform into a scalable clinical decision-support tool. Together, these efforts reflect a unified translational vision: building the infrastructure necessary to make immune-guided cancer care a clinical reality, from the chip to the patient.

MICROSYSTEMS AT THE DIAGNOSTICS–THERAPEUTICS INTERFACE
Sumita Pennathur
University of California, Santa Barbara, USA

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Advances in molecular medicine increasingly depend on microsystems capable of recognizing biological signals, transducing them into measurable outputs, and ultimately enabling therapeutic intervention. This presentation highlights three independent microtechnologies developed in our laboratory that span this diagnostics-therapeutics continuum. First, we demonstrate nanofluidic ion-conductivity biosensors that exploit electrokinetic transport for label-free molecular detection, enabling highly sensitive electrical transduction without fluorescent or enzymatic labels. Second, we present silver nanoparticle-DNA biosensors that leverage DNA-mediated nanoparticle assembly to achieve rapid, sequence-specific nucleic acid detection through amplified optical and electrical responses. Finally, we describe MEMS-based electrostatic micropumps developed for precise, programmable insulin delivery, providing nanoliter-scale dosing accuracy suitable for wearable drug delivery systems. Although these technologies were developed independently for infectious disease diagnostics, molecular sensing, and diabetes management, respectively, they illustrate complementary advances in microscale recognition, signal transduction, and actuation and together suggest a path toward future closed-loop microsystems at the diagnostics-therapeutics interface

Wearables and Ingestible Devices

PREDICTIVE DESIGN OF STRETCHABLE ELECTRODES WITH STRAIN-INSENSITIVE PERFORMANCE VIA ROBOTICS- AND MACHINE LEARNING-INTEGRATED WORKFLOW
Po-Yen Chen
University of Maryland, USA

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Innovations in wearable electronics and soft robotics hinge significantly on the development of stretchable electrodes. However, a persistent challenge lies in balancing high stretchability, functional performance, and strain insensitivity. Conventional approaches, such as design of experiments and trial-and-error methods, often rely on time-consuming and labor-intensive experiments to navigate a vast and complex parameter space. To overcome this, we establish an integrated workflow merging robot-automated experimentation, machine learning predictions, and finite element simulations to enable the predictive design of stretchable electrodes with strain-insensitive performance. Initially, we construct an ensemble of artificial neural networks through a two-stage workflow including feasible parameter space definition and active learning loops. Leveraging the prediction model and two-scale simulations, a microtextured stretchable nanocomposite is discovered as a strain-stable platform. Conformal deposition of an ultrathin gold layer showcases metal-like conductivity, superior resistance-insensitive stretchability, and robust durability. Furthermore, electrodeposition of Zn and MnO2 on gold conductors enables a stretchable Zn||MnO2 battery, sustaining superior elongation and strain-insensitive electrochemical performance. This machine intelligence-driven approach expedites the multi-parameter optimization of stretchable electrodes, achieving strain-invariant functionalities

FROM SENSING TO ACTION: CLOSED-LOOP INGESTIBLE DEVICES FOR GUT HEALTHCARE
Reza Ghodssi
University of Maryland, USA

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Gastrointestinal (GI) diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and various forms of cancer, are increasingly prevalent due to a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors, impacting more than 40 million people in the US alone. Current medical tools for monitoring and treating GI diseases date back to the 1970s and require invasive procedures. An emerging method for probing the GI tract is the use of minimally invasive devices to monitor, detect, diagnose, and treat, particularly in remote regions of the GI. These devices rely on MEMS and microsystems, which have demonstrated the potential to improve healthcare through compact, low-power, and cost-effective solutions for continuous, real-time monitoring and advanced diagnostics, enabling early disease detection, and out-patient digital healthcare. Microsystems, such as wearable electronics, that interface with the body have been thoroughly explored both academically and commercially. Recently, the application of MEMS and Microsystems to ingestible devices has yielded key technologies to address GI-related diseases. The accessible nature of the GI tract provides a gateway for analyzing bodily processes and reaching specific organ systems for treatment.

EPIDERMAL ELECTRONICS FOR CONTINUOUS MONITORING AND THERAPEUTICS
Michelle Khine
University of Adelaide, AUSTRALIA

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We know that physiological signals precede clinical deterioration. Yet our antiquated healthcare system is still rooted in episodic and reactionary-based care, in which patients are expected to travel to a centralized location for a healthcare provider to provide a snapshot-in-time assessment when they are overtly ill. Unless the symptoms are apparent at the time of examination, the subjective evaluation relies heavily on the patient's self-reporting of symptoms. This often results in delayed, inconclusive, or improper diagnoses. In response, we have developed a suite of soft, low-cost, unobtrusive, Band-Aid © like physiological sensors to continuously monitor patients' cardiovascular and pulmonary functions. We seek to continuously quantify subtle physiological changes to predict and prevent the onset of acute clinical events.

Tyler Ray
University of Hawaii, USA

Emerging Investigator Speakers

MICROENGINEERING OF TISSUE-SPECIFIC FUNCTIONAL INTERFACES
Song Ih Ahn
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), KOREA

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Understanding and accurately predicting human tissue responses remain major challenges in drug development and implantable biomedical device research, largely due to the limited physiological relevance of conventional in vitro models and the translational gap associated with animal studies. This limitation is particularly critical in tissues governed by complex functional interfaces, such as the blood - brain barrier (BBB) and the blood - retinal barrier (BRB), where tightly regulated cellular organization and dynamic microenvironments play essential roles in maintaining tissue homeostasis and regulating molecular transport.

To address these challenges, we develop microphysiological systems (MPS) that recapitulate tissue-specific functional interfaces under well-controlled and physiologically relevant conditions. Our approach integrates microfluidics, tissue engineering, and bioelectronics to reconstruct multicellular architectures with defined spatial organization, perfusable microvascular networks, and tunable biochemical and mechanical cues. These platforms incorporate human-derived cells, extracellular matrices, and 3D-printed organic electrodes to enable the modeling of key tissue-level functions, including selective permeability, transport dynamics, and inflammatory responses. We focus in particular on tissue-tissue barriers, including the BBB and related neurovascular interfaces, which are difficult to model using conventional systems. Our microengineered platforms reproduce essential features such as endothelial tight junction formation, shear stress - dependent maturation, and cell - cell interactions with supporting cell types. These features enable systematic investigation of how disease-relevant perturbations and external stimuli modulate barrier integrity and function.

To enable continuous and quantitative interrogation of these systems, we integrate bioelectronic sensing modalities, including electrical impedance-based measurements for real-time monitoring of barrier integrity. These sensing capabilities provide non-invasive, longitudinal readouts of tissue dynamics with high temporal resolution. In parallel, we employ complementary analytical methods, including permeability assays, cytokine profiling, and imaging-based analyses, to generate multidimensional datasets capturing molecular transport, inflammatory signaling, and structural changes. To further enhance reproducibility and scalability, we implement automated cell culture platforms and analysis pipelines that support high-throughput operation of MPS devices. This enables systematic perturbation studies across multiple experimental conditions and facilitates the generation of large-scale, high-content datasets. Such datasets provide a foundation for integrating experimental observations with computational approaches, including data-driven modeling and machine learning, to extract predictive insights into complex biological responses.

Overall, we establish a scalable and quantitative platform for engineering and interrogating tissue-specific functional interfaces. By combining microengineering and bioelectronics within human-relevant MPS, our approach advances the development of predictive in vitro models for studying disease mechanisms and evaluating therapeutic strategies, ultimately contributing to improved translational outcomes in biomedical research.

ENABLING QUANTITATIVE MATRIX-ASSOCIATED VESICLE STUDIES USING LIGHT-INDUCED NANOPARTICLE ADSORPTION
Colin Hisey
Northwestern University, USA

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The role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) and particles (EPs/EVPs) in human health and disease has garnered considerable attention over the past two decades, driven by their ability to shuttle bioactive cargo and modulate cell behavior across tissues. However, most work has focused on EVPs isolated from biofluids, whereas matrix- and surface‑bound EVPs within the extracellular matrix (ECM) remain poorly understood despite their putative roles in processes including metastasis, angiogenesis, wound healing, immune responses. Although several EVP micropatterning strategies have been proposed for single‑particle characterization, existing platforms typically rely on antibody capture, which biases the subpopulations interrogated, limits scalability, and precludes rapid, label‑free, tunable patterning of diverse EVP types at high spatial resolution.
We introduce Light‑induced Extracellular Vesicle and Particle Adsorption (LEVA), a simple yet powerful approach for generating high‑fidelity EVP micropatterns on semi‑transparent substrates using nonspecific, light‑induced adsorption. LEVA combines a poly‑L‑lysine (PLL)/methoxy‑polyethylene glycol succinimidyl valerate (mPEG‑SVA) coating with a UV digital micromirror device (DMD) and a small‑molecule photoactivator to locally remove PEG and expose positively charged PLL based on the grayscale values of a pre-defined template. After illumination, EVPs are captured in a single incubation step, enabling the creation of micron‑scale circles, microtracks, and various gradients.
We show that LEVA reproducibly generates subcellular‑resolution EVP patterns down to approximately 2 µm and supports linear, exponential, and Gaussian gradients over tens of micrometers, while remaining effective at bulk concentrations as low as 10⁵ EVs/mL. Using total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy and COMSOL Multiphysics, we also quantify adsorption and desorption kinetics and demonstrate that binding rates correlate with EVP size and zeta potential, where smaller, more negatively charged EVs adsorb more rapidly than larger EVs, and neutral lipid nanoparticles show negligible binding. The versatility of LEVA is further established using GFP‑EV standards, EVs from conventional and bioreactor cultures, DiFi exomeres, and E. coli EVs, all of which can be patterned robustly without particle‑specific capture ligands. Finally, we illustrate how LEVA‑generated patterns enable functional assays that directly probe cell–EVP interactions. First, “digital titration” of single EVs support multiplexed fluorescence colocalization at the single‑particle level, improving orthogonal characterization of heterogenous EVP populations. Second, micropatterned migrasome‑mimetic trails guide U‑87 MG glioblastoma cell migration, providing a controlled platform to study ECM‑bound EVPs as breadcrumb‑like cues. Finally, spatially defined patterns of E. coli EVs elicit human neutrophil swarming, revealing how bacterial EVs can organize coordinated immune responses when presented in well‑defined microenvironments.
By enabling rapid, label‑free, scalable, and tunable micropatterning of diverse EVPs with nearly single‑micrometer precision, LEVA fills a critical technology gap in the study of ECM protein‑ and surface‑bound EVPs. This platform will accelerate fundamental investigations of EVP‑mediated communication and support the design of biomimetic, immunoengineering, and diagnostic assays that exploit precisely controlled EVP organization on materials.

Jihoon Ko
Gachon University, KOREA

LIVE-D-SEQ AND LIVE SPATIAL TRANSCRIPTOMICS
Jina Ko
University of Pennsylvania, USA

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We are developing technologies that enable transcriptome-wide profiling of living cells and tissues over time. Live-D-Seq performs single-cell RNA sequencing from viable cells, while Live Spatial Transcriptomics captures spatially resolved gene expression from living tissue without destroying the sample. Together, these platforms enable longitudinal molecular profiling, providing temporal insights into cellular and tissue dynamics that can reveal mechanisms of therapy response, resistance, disease progression, and regeneration.

BIOENGINEERED MODELS OF OVARIAN CANCER MECHANOBIOLOGY
Susan Leggett
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA

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Ovarian cancer progression is a highly dynamic process shaped by the tumor microenvironment, multitissue interactions, and biomechanical cues. Unlike many solid tumors, ovarian cancer commonly spreads through transcoelomic dissemination, in which cancer cells shed from the primary tumor into the fluid-filled peritoneal cavity, survive in suspension as individual cells or multicellular clusters, and subsequently attach to and colonize distant mesothelial surfaces. These early events are difficult to capture in vivo and remain poorly represented by conventional culture systems, limiting mechanistic insight into how physical context and local mechanics regulate metastatic success. Our laboratory develops bioengineered on-chip models that reconstruct key features of the ovarian microenvironment using scalable and imaging-compatible microfabrication approaches. Three-dimensional printing methods are used to generate PDMS-based organ-chip devices and supporting platform components, enabling rapid, reproducible fabrication and iterative design. To address the clinical challenge of late detection, we have established an anatomy-informed bioengineered ovarian model that mimics tissue geometry and enables studies of early tumor development. In parallel, we have developed a peritoneal cavity-on-a-chip that incorporates a fluid-filled three-dimensional cavity, mesothelial interfaces, and tunable extracellular environments to model ovarian cancer transcoelomic dissemination. Integrated live-cell imaging enables direct analysis and real-time visualization of how cancer cells proliferate, how individual cells and multicellular clusters transit through fluid spaces, and how they interact with the peritoneal mesothelium to initiate colonization at distant sites. Together, these approaches provide an accessible platform for studying ovarian cancer across stages ranging from early tumor development to metastatic colonization, opening a new experimental window onto disease progression that has remained difficult to access.

PATTERNED BIOMATERIALS: NEW TOOLS TO PROBE AND CONTROL COMPLEX BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS
Jouha Min
University of Michigan, USA

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Engineered materials and molecular sensing tools are transforming how we study and control complex biological systems. Yet many technologies operate at a single scale--either manipulating cellular environments without molecular precision or profiling molecular signals without spatial or mechanical context. My lab addresses this challenge through chemical and materials innovation, developing scalable platforms that integrate molecular design with quantitative analysis. We focus on two complementary directions: (1) physico-chemical design of soft interfaces with tunable nanoscale architecture and dynamic mechanics to probe and control material - biology interactions, and (2) biomolecular sensing platforms that combine polymer chemistry, optical or electrochemical detection, and data-driven analysis for accessible diagnostics. In this talk, I will highlight two representative efforts: nature-inspired nanopatterned coatings with dynamically tunable surface topography for long-term antibacterial activity, and integrated bioanalytical sensing technologies for early, point-of-care detection of sepsis.

SELECTING TARGETED CANCER THERAPIES USING CTC-BASED PROTEIN PROFILING
Avanish Mishra
Massachusetts General Hospital, USA<

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In recent years, targeted therapies that depend on extracellular protein expression on tumor cells have transformed cancer treatment. However, this therapeutic revolution has not been matched by equally effective diagnostic tools to guide patient selection or define mechanisms of resistance. In some tumor types, immune checkpoint inhibitors are guided, albeit imperfectly, by tumor PD-L1 expression, while CAR-T therapies and other cell-based approaches are directed against lineage-specific tumor epitopes, typically assessed in tissue biopsies. However, the emerging success and increasing deployment of therapeutic antibodies, namely Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) that deliver chemotherapy drugs to epitope-expressing cancer cells and Bispecific T cell Engager (BiTE) antibodies, which recruit CD3-positive T cells to such tumor cells, call for readily deployable biomarkers to determine initial and persistent expression of the targeted tumor epitope. Intact Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) in the blood circulation are ideal for the quantitation of such protein markers. Not only is their sampling non-invasive and optimal for repeated serial analysis, but they also represent tumor cells derived from multiple metastatic lesions. Using unbiased microfluidic CTC enrichment technology, coupled with single-cell analysis, we show that the CTCs predict response to the DLL3-targeting bispecific antibody tarlatamab in small-cell lung cancer (SCLC)1 and provide guidance on ADC design in metastatic breast cancer2.

SCLC is a neuroendocrine malignancy characterized by high metastatic potential and poor clinical outcomes. Recently, the bispecific antibody tarlatamab has demonstrated effectiveness in SCLC, but clinical outcomes vary, and no biomarker is available to stratify patients. Efforts to identify predictive biomarkers for tarlatamab have largely focused on immunohistochemistry staining of tumor tissue, yet the near-universal expression of DLL3 in archival biopsies does not reflect the ~40% clinical response rate. We performed pre-treatment CTC profiling of a prospective cohort of 20 patients with advanced SCLC, distinguishing patients as DLL3High (≥25% DLL3-positive CTCs) or DLL3Low. We found that DLL3High patients consistently derived clinical benefit, whereas most DLL3Low patients progressed on therapy (85% sensitivity, 100% specificity)1.

We observed a complementary principle in metastatic breast cancer treated with ADCs. Current breast cancer ADCs primarily target TROP2 or HER2, but they use chemically related TOP1 inhibitor payloads. Although epitope downregulation is often assumed to be a major mechanism of acquired resistance, this has not been well established in patients. In a prospective cohort of 35 patients treated with TROP2- or HER2-targeting ADCs, we found that target epitope expression was not lost on CTCs at the time of acquired clinical resistance. Moreover, switching between TROP2- and HER2-targeting ADCs with similar payloads was associated with poor second-line ADC response, suggesting that cross-resistance to the payload, rather than loss of the targeted surface epitope, may be a dominant driver of treatment failure. Together, these studies demonstrate that for immune-based cancer therapies, uniquely dependent upon epitope expression by cancer cells, CTC-based measurements may provide a robust biomarker for guiding therapeutic interventions.

WEARABLE AND POINT-OF-CARE DEVICES FOR ADDRESSING HEALTH DISPARITIES
Maral P. S. Mousavi
University of Southern California, USA

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The COVID-19 pandemic starkly exposed the urgent need for decentralized diagnostics and rapid, point-of-use testing. By shifting biochemical analysis away from centralized laboratories and directly to the patient, point-of-care and wearable technologies hold immense potential to bridge healthcare gaps and address systemic health disparities. This talk will detail our efforts to develop highly accessible, affordable tools for at-home and on-body health monitoring. Guided by principles of scalability, user-friendliness, and cost-effectiveness, we engineer soft, flexible sensors utilizing textiles, conductive yarns, and laser-engraved thin films. These platforms are designed to selectively detect vital biomarkers in complex biological fluids--such as blood, saliva, and breast milk--enabling reliable, real-time monitoring outside of traditional clinical environments. Central to producing these accessible diagnostic solutions is the use of laser-induced graphene (LIG). By exposing carbon-rich polymers like polyimide to a laser beam, we trigger photothermal reactions that rapidly create flexible, highly conductive structures without the need for complex, traditional fabrication methods. We have further optimized this process by tuning surface topography and hydrophilicity to improve compatibility with enzymatic sensing membranes, alongside incorporating redox mediators to eliminate calibration drift. Leveraging this versatile and reliable sensor platform, we are advancing companion diagnostics for the at-home tracking of therapeutic drug levels. These specific advancements address critical, unmet needs in fields such as mental health, where continuous and decentralized drug monitoring can fundamentally transform patient care.

In addition to broad point-of-care diagnostics, our work places a special emphasis on pioneering continuous wearable platforms tailored to historically underrepresented areas, particularly women's health. A focal point of this discussion will be the development of an innovative smart lactation pad. Despite breast milk being a rich diagnostic biofluid that reflects the physiological state of both mother and infant, it remains largely unexamined by current wearable technology. By embedding capillary-powered microfluidics and LIG electrochemical sensors into a standard, daily-use lactation pad, our device seamlessly tracks glucose, trace medications, and ionic compounds without adding any extra burden to a nursing mother's routine. Ultimately, combining versatile manufacturing techniques with targeted, user-centric device engineering offers a powerful framework for delivering equitable healthcare and empowering diverse populations with actionable health data.

4D TISSUE ENGINEERING OF BIOLOGICAL ACTUATORS FOR REGENERATIVE MEDICINE AND BIOHYBRID ROBOTICS
Ritu Raman
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA

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All voluntary movement in humans and many other biological creatures is powered by skeletal muscle, controlled by peripheral nerves, and supplied by blood vessels. These tissues work together to form biological actuators that can efficiently generate dynamic forces while adapting their form and function to changing environmental stimuli. The Raman Lab develops biofabrication tools to build multicellular and functional models of vascularized and innervated muscle. Tissue engineering such biological actuators enables understanding and treating diseases that limit human mobility, and powering "biohybrid" robots that dynamically sense and adapt to their environments. This talk will discuss our work towards:
1) Developing 4D biofabrication tools that enable scalable and reproducible fabrication of multicellular living systems.
2) Advancing fundamental understanding of how exercise mediates assembly, maturation, and repair in the neuromuscular system.
3) Creating predictive design frameworks to deploy adaptable and sustainable muscle-actuated robots.

A TUNABLE 3D STIFFNESS-GRADIENT MICROGEL PLATFORM REVEALS PHENOTYPE-SPECIFIC MECHANOTRANSDUCTION AND DRUG RESISTANCE IN PROSTATE CANCER
Shang Song
University of Arizona, USA

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Matrix stiffness heterogeneity is a hallmark of solid tumors that strongly influences cancer progression and therapeutic response, yet most 3D culture platforms fail to capture this spatial variability. To address this, we developed a tunable 3D granular microgel network with a built-in stiffness gradient, fabricated by stacking microgel layers of varying concentrations and applying a swelling-deswelling process. Under perfusion, matrix stiffness and drug treatment synergistically activated known mechanotransduction pathways, further driving drug resistance. This effect was pronounced in androgen-independent prostate PC3 cells but attenuated in androgen-sensitive prostate LNCaP cells, suggesting phenotype-specific resistance mechanisms. This microgel platform is also compatible with high-throughput screening methods, offering a versatile tool for studying stiffness-driven drug resistance for cancer research.

Julea Vlassakis
Rice University, USA

SPATIOTEMPORAL MOLECULAR PROFILING OF INFLAMMATION IN LIVE ANIMALS WITH MICROENGINEERED DEVICES
Daniel Z. Wang
CZI Biohub Chicago, USA

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Understanding how inflammation evolves across space and time is essential to uncovering the molecular mechanisms that drive disease progression and recovery. Yet, most existing omics approaches capture only static molecular "snapshots," offering limited insight into the dynamic processes occurring within living tissues.

In this talk, I will introduce a new class of microengineered devices designed to probe inflammation as it unfolds in vivo. By integrating minimally invasive sampling technology with high-resolution mass spectrometry, these systems enable temporal monitoring of >100 metabolites in live animals, revealing how the local metabolome changes over the course of disease. This approach opens new possibilities for generating information-rich datasets that illuminate the kinetics of inflammation and advance our understanding of dynamic disease biology.