CHBE 565-International Paper Co Seminar-Prof. David Gracias, Johns Hopkins University (Host: Prof. Hyun Joon Kong) "Physical Intelligence at the Interface of Biology and Engineering"

Abstract: Micro and nanopatterning of rigid materials like semiconductors, metals, and dielectrics has revolutionized life by enabling CPUs, GPUs, and smartphones. Imagine applying these principles to biological matter and living materials. We could create adaptable implants, living robots, microphysiological systems, homeostatic materials, and brain processing units (BPUs). This talk describes our efforts to apply micro and nanoscale patterning and heterogeneous integration to hydrogels and living cells/organoids. It includes studies on stimuli-responsive locomotive gel bots, DNA-programmed shape transformation, and multi-modal microinstrumentation to achieve organoid intelligence (OI). These studies illustrate the design and potential impact of integrated biohybrid devices, soft robots, and information processing units with the touch and feel of biological matter. 

Bio: David Gracias is a Professor at the Johns Hopkins University with appointments in Engineering (primary), Arts & Sciences, and Medicine. Prof. Gracias received his Ph.D. from UC Berkeley and did post-doctoral research at Harvard University. He has made pioneering contributions to micro- and nanotechnology as described in over 200 technical publications, including 14 original research papers in Science, PNAS, Nature-X, and Science-X, and has a citation h-index of 81. 

Several prestigious awards have recognized Prof. Gracias, including the NSF Career, NIH Director’s New Innovator, Beckman Young Investigator, Camille Dreyfus Teacher Scholar, and the Bessel Award. He is an elected Fellow of leading cross-disciplinary international scientific and engineering societies, including the APS (Physics), RSC (Chemistry), AAAS (Science), AIMBE (Biomedical Engineering), and IEEE (Electrical Engineering). Prof. Gracias is a prolific inventor with 37 issued patents and is involved in engineering translation and technology transfer to society, for which he has been inducted into the National Academy of Inventors (FNAI), which is the highest professional distinction accorded solely to academic inventors.