Biological Materials Science Lab
Understanding how biological systems organize matter to control mechanical behavior
Our Scientific Philosophy
Biological macromolecular materials achieve combinations of mechanical performance and damage tolerance that remain difficult to reproduce in engineered systems. Establishing the composition–structure–property relationships that enable these capabilities is a fundamental challenge in materials science.
The laboratory seeks to understand how composition and structural design principles govern the mechanical behavior and failure of macromolecular materials.
We address this challenge by combining observations from natural biological materials with controlled experimental model systems. Rather than reproducing nature, we isolate individual design principles to establish the fundamental relationships between composition, structure, and mechanical behavior.
Research
Structure-Function Relationships in Biological Exoskeletons
Understanding how hierarchical structure and composition govern mechanical performance in natural materials.
Architected Materials
Translating biological design principles into synthetic systems to understand and control structure-function relationships
Renewable Materials and biofabrication
Developing bio-based and dynamic materials with tunable properties and environmental responsiveness.
Funding Sources
