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PhD Virtual Information Session Hosted by the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

MEMS Seminar: Surface Acoustic Wave Intensification of Mass Transport and Chemical Reactions in Porous Nitrocellulose Membrane: A Case Study for Biomarker-Molecule Testing in Saliva at Stephen F. & Camilla T. Brauer Hall

MEMS Seminar: Prediction and Control of Frosting on Surfaces – A More Complete Understanding for Heat-Pump Applications at Stephen F. & Camilla T. Brauer Hall

This image visualizes the design of a heterogeneous integrated photonic chip incorporating various functional single-crystalline nanomembranes. These ultrathin layers add capabilities that the underlying chip materials cannot provide alone. Researchers at WashU have developed a new framework to expand the materials, functions and designs on a single chip, opening new possibilities for faster, more powerful and multifunctional photonic technologies. (AI generated image courtesy Bae lab).

New building blocks expand functions of photonic chips

With integration of single-crystal nanomembranes, WashU engineers establish a framework for photonic circuits.

10.08.2026

James Friend and collaborators from University of California, San Diego; University of Central Florida and University of Florida, plan to integrate artificial intelligence and physics-based simulation to help design better fuel injectors for advanced aircraft and engines with intricately designed engines with a $4.25 million grant from DARPA. (Credit: iStock photo)

WashU-led team wins $4.25 million DARPA grant to improve fuel injector design

Research led by James Friend aims to crack the code of atomization for future aircraft engines.

09.28.2026

Amit Pathak

Pathak named member of National Institutes of Health study section

Amit Pathak will review applications concerned with the development of models for biological systems.

09.10.2026

James Friend and his collaborators plan to develop a pintle-based inertial liquid atomizing nozzle technology, or PLIANT, that would produce sub-10 micrometer droplets. Droplets of this size would evaporate more quickly, mix better with air and improve engine efficiency. (From left) These images show mostly larger droplets being generated with their device off, and very fine droplets being generated when the device is on. (Credit: Friend lab)

Ultrasound-fueled vapor may be key to fueling detonation-based propulsion engines

James Friend’s lab to develop atomizing nozzle with grant from Office of Naval Research.

08.31.2026

New research from the lab of Srikanth Singamaneni shows the early success of a microneedle patch that can be applied on the skin to quickly and safely capture biomarkers from the biofluid in the skin and quantify them accurately on the patch. The patch detected early signs of kidney injury and may one day support home or point-of-care monitoring without requiring refrigeration. (Credit: Singamaneni lab)

A painless punch with a microneedle patch could detect kidney disease earlier

Srikanth Singamaneni’s lab creates metal-organic framework-protected microneedle patch resilient to heat, storage time.

08.17.2026

From left: Eason Zhang, Naomi Hsieh, Baiming Zhang

WashU Ursaworks Robotics finishes strong at 2026 ARC Championship

Team earns place in top eight among highly competitive field of university robotics teams.

08.07.2026

Sujith Jayakumar, a doctoral student who led the research in James Friend’s lab, used a floating-electrode unidirectional transducer (FEUDT) to send surface acoustic waves in one direction. The sound waves created tiny forces in the liquid that help pump it through the pores. In this image, the gold metal piece at the bottom of the device is the FEUDT, which generates sound waves in one direction over the long electrode. The sound waves leak into the pores of the material, and the streaming creates pressure-driven flow. (Credit: Sujith Jayakumar)

Sound waves turn porous materials into tiny pumps for drug delivery, filtration

James Friend’s lab develops acoustofluidic device to move fluid faster than diffusion.

08.07.2026

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image of human mammary epithelial MCF10A cells (orange) sensing a laser-ablated micro-defect on a collagen type I extracellular matrix surface through filopodial protrusions. Scale bar: 1µm. (Credit: Hannah Zmuda, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, with support from the Washington University Cellular Imaging Center (WUCCI)).

Tiny feet on cells sense defects, stall migration to heal wounds

Finding in Amit Pathak’s lab impacts injury sensing by cells.

07.31.2026

Sang-Hoon Bae will use his National Science Foundation CAREER Award to create the first framework for single-crystal semiconductor growth on glass and lay the scientific foundation for “active glass” platforms where glass supports mechanical and thermal functions and integrates embedded functions such as logic, memory and sensing. (Credit: Bae lab)

Activating glass for next generation semiconductor substrates

Sang-Hoon Bae plans to use glass to grow 2D crystals with NSF CAREER Award.

07.14.2026