research overview
- Research in my lab is an interplay of biology, engineering and art. At the technical level, I investigate biomaterials for tangible interaction and microfluidic biochips for personalized healthcare. At an artistic level, my research focuses on bridging the gap between humans and non-human nature, e.g., using microbiomes as a source for sustainability, and bioluminescence as a guidance for escaping darkness. The multifaceted work is motivated by my vision of biology (or “nature”) becoming inherent to human thinking, as opposed to the current human-centric Anthropocene1 mindset. I formulate materials having biodegradability as a constraint: ReClaym and Alganyl decompose in soil within days. Unfortunately, sustainability does not align with the current trend in fabrication, which focuses solely on scaling the production. I seek to change that by proposing new design perspectives (e.g., organism-centric design) and new fabrication methods) that engage with the entire life-cycle of the material. I am also passionate about researching microfluidic biochips, devices that enable direct interaction of humans with their microbiome for diagnosis purposes. So far I have built systems based on biochips to serve as personal laboratories: small portable devices that people can own and use to develop customized bio-protocols ('bio-apps'). The work in the Living Matter Lab, which I founded, focuses on technologies that empower individuals by making information about their own biology and interaction with their biome more accessible. In particular, I am developing: [Research Theme RT1] materials for tangible interaction that enable biodegradable interfaces; [Research Theme RT2] compact and highly configurable biochips that have the potential to move a variety of complex diagnostics out of the lab and into the home.
