Principle Investigator

Weiqiang Chen Professor Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department of Biomedical Engineering Director of Research Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering New York University Room 128, 5 MetroTech Center, Brooklyn, NY 11201 Email: wchen AT nyu.edu Phone: +1(646)997-3767

Dr. Weiqiang Chen is a Professor in the Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and an associated faculty Member of NYU Langone Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center. He received his B.S. in Physics from Nanjing University in 2005, M.S. degrees from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2008 and Purdue University in 2009, both in Electrical Engineering. He earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan in 2014. Dr. Chen is a Fellow of the American Heart Association (FAHA), a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), a council member of the Biomedical Engineering Society Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering Special Interest Group (BMES CMBE-SIG, 2023-2026), and a standing member of the NIH Study Section on Cellular and Molecular Technologies (2022-2026). Dr. Chen's research interests focus on Lab-on-a-Chip, Organ-on-a-Chip, cancer technology, biosensing technology, biomaterials, cell mechanobiology, stem cell biology, and immune engineering.

Selected Awards
Fellow, American Heart Association (2023)
The Micro and Nanoengineering Young Investigator Award, second place (2021&2022)
Chemical Communications Emerging Investigator Award (2021)
Healthy Longevity Award, New York Academy of Sciences and Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (2021)
Senior Member, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) (2021)
Biomedical Engineering Society cellular and Molecular Bioengineering Rising Star Award (2021)
New York Academy of Sciences Interstellar Initiative Early Career Investigator Award (2020)
Best Paper Award, The 10th Annual Meeting of Asian Cellular Therapy Organization, Sapporo, Japan (2019)
Biomedical Engineering Society cellular and Molecular Bioengineering Young Innovator Award (2019)
Chroma Young Investigator Award in Biomedical Engineering (2019)
NIGMS Maximizing Investigators' Research Award (NIH Outstanding Investigator Award) (2019)
Lab on a Chip Emerging Investigator Award (2018)
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering Trailblazer Award (2018)
NYU Whitehead Fellowship in Biomedical and Biological Sciences (2017)
NYU Goddard Junior Faculty Award (2017)
American Heart Association Scientist Development Award (2016)
ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award (2014)
University of Michigan Richard F. & Eleanor A. Towner Prize for Outstanding PhD Research (2013)
American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellowship (2013)
Baxter Young Investigator Award for distinguished research in critical care therapies and medical products (2013)
Outstanding Paper Award, The 2nd ASME Global Congress on NanoEngineering for Medicine and Biology, Boston, MA (2013)
Chemical and Biological Microsystems Society Young Researcher Award (2011)

Research Fellows

	Fanghao Shi Postdoctoral Associate Ph.D. in Nanoscience and Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Science, 2016-2022 B.S. in Bioengineering, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, China, 2012-2016 RH619, 6 MetroTech Center Email: fs2698 AT nyu.edu Phone: (646)997-3775 Fanghao's current research focuses on mirofluidic lymphoma/lymph node-on-a-Chip systems for disease modeling.
	Dongdong Liu Postdoctoral Associate Ph.D. in Chemical Biology, Northwest A&F University & Chinese Academy of Sciences, 2016-2020 RH621, 6 MetroTech Center Email: dl5418 AT nyu.edu Phone: (646)997-3775 Dongdong's current research focuses on mirofluidic Organ-on-a-Chip systems for disease modeling.

Graduate Students

	Lunan Liu PhD Student, Mechanical Engineering M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 2017-2020 B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University, China, 2013-2017 RH621, 6 MetroTech Center Email: ll4255 AT nyu.edu Lunan's current research focuses on Pancreatic Cancer Organoids-on-a-Chip for solid tumor microenvironment and immunotherapy modeling.
	Ngoc Kate Luu PhD student, Biomedical Engineering B.S. in Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, 2017-2021 RH619, 6 MetroTech Center Email: nl2346 AT nyu.edu Phone: (646)997-3508 Kate's current research focuses on vascular and immune cell mechanobiology.
	Huishu Wang PhD student, Mechanical Engineering B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University Of Bristol, 2017-2021 RH621, 6 MetroTech Center Email: hw2804 AT nyu.edu Phone: (646)997-3775 Huishu's current research focuses on microengineered Leukemia-on-a-Chip system for cancer immunotherapy modeling and screening.
	Ruiqi Chen PhD student, Biomedical Engineering B.S. in Biological Science, Nankai University, China, 2018-2022 RH621, 6 MetroTech Center Email: rc5242 AT nyu.edu Phone: (646)997-3775 Ruiqi's current research focuses on Organ-on-a-Chip systems for disease modeling.
	John Manoyan MS student, Biomedical Engineering B.S. in Biomolecular Science, New York Univeristy, 2018-2022 RH621, 6 MetroTech Center Email: jm7868 AT nyu.edu Phone: (646)997-3775 John's current research focuses on Lymph nodes-on-a-Chip for adptive immunity modeling and vaccine evaluation.
	Josiah Minotto MS student, Biomedical Engineering B.S. in Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, 2019-2023 RH621, 6 MetroTech Center Email: jmm9933 AT nyu.edu Phone: (646)997-3775 Josiah's current research focuses on Lymph nodes-on-a-Chip for adptive immunity modeling and vaccine evaluation.

Undergraduate Students

	Ria Kumar Undergraduate Student Biomolecular Science, New York Univeristy RH621, 6 MetroTech Center Email: rk4178 AT nyu.edu Ria's current research focuses on microengineered systems for cell mechanobiology study.
	Djamila Egbe Undergraduate Student Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, New York Univeristy RH621, 6 MetroTech Center Email: de2227 AT nyu.edu Djamila's current research focuses on microengineered systems for cell mechanobiology study.
	Junru Liao Undergraduate Student Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, New York Univeristy RH621, 6 MetroTech Center Email: jl15721 AT nyu.edu Junru's current research focuses on microengineered systems for cell mechanobiology study.
	Rong (Sarah) Bao Undergraduate Student Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, New York Univeristy RH621, 6 MetroTech Center Email: rb5211 AT nyu.edu Sarah's current research focuses on microengineered systems for cell mechanobiology study.
	Tiffany Chan Undergraduate Student Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, New York Univeristy RH621, 6 MetroTech Center Email: tc3416 AT nyu.edu Tiffany's current research focuses on microengineered Organ-on-a-Chip systems for disease modeling.

Student Awards

BMES NYU Chapter, Outstanding Organizational Growth Award, NYU Tandon School of Engineering, 2024
Kaity Pacsai, Student Leader of the Year Award, NYU Tandon School of Engineering, 2024
Ngoc Luu, Young Scientist Award, 50th Northeastern Biomedical Engineering Conference, 2024
Shuhao Zhang, Best Mechanical Engineering Master Thesis Award, 2024
Ngoc Luu, American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellowship, 2024
Lina Park, Roland Ward Award of Best Undergraduate Thesis in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, 2023
Ngoc Luu, Graduate Student Travel Award, BMES-Cell and Molecular Bioengineering (CMBE) Conference, 2023
Dr. Rui Li, Burroughs Wellcome Young Investigator Award, BMES Annual Meeting, 2022
Dr. Chao Ma, Tony B. Academic Award, SLAS International Conference and Exhibition, 2022
Dr. Chao Ma, Post-Doctoral Researcher Travel Award, BMES-Cell and Molecular Bioengineering (CMBE) Conference, 2022
Dr. Rui Li, Post-Doctoral Researcher Travel Award, BMES-Cell and Molecular Bioengineering (CMBE) Conference, 2022
Dr. Chao Ma, The Company of Biologists’ Disease Models & Mechanisms Conference Travel Grant, 2021
Dr. Chao Ma, Cancer Research Institute Irvington Postdoctoral Fellowship, 2021-2023
Huishu Wang, Future Leader PhD Fellowship, NYU Tandon School of Engineering, 2021-2023
Benteng Ma, School of Engineering PhD Fellowship, NYU Tandon School of Engineering, 2021-2022
Ngoc Luu, School of Engineering PhD Fellowship, NYU Tandon School of Engineering, 2021-2022
Zhuoyu Zhang, Dean's PhD Fellowship, NYU Tandon School of Engineering, 2020-2022
Dr. Chao Ma, Harry Peng, Finalist for NYU Tandon InnoVention Competition, 2020
BMES NYU Chapter, Outstanding Organizational Growth Award, NYU Tandon School of Engineering, 2020
Yansong (Harry) Peng, Student Leaders Award, NYU Tandon School of Engineering, 2020
Dr. Xin Cui, Best Abstract Award, Asian Cellular Therapy Organization Annual Meeting, 2019
Yansong (Harry) Peng, Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Excellence Award, NYU Tandon, 2019
Yansong (Harry) Peng, Dr. Morris Young Scholastic Award, NYU Tandon School of Engineering, 2018
Apratim Bajpai, School of Engineering PhD Fellowship, NYU Tandon School of Engineering, 2018-2020
Renee-Tyler Tan Morales, American Heart Association Undergraduate Student Summer Fellowship, 2018
Constantine Athanitis, Semifinalist for the Siemens Science Competition, 2016
Weiyi Qian, Best Mechanical Engineering PhD Qualifying Exam Performance Award, 2015

Alumni

Postdocs and Doctoral Students:
Rui Li, Postdoctoral fellow (02/2020-05/2024; current position: Assistant Professor, Sun Yat-sen University)
Chao Ma, Postdoctoral fellow (07/2017-03/2024; current position: Assistant Professor, Cleveland Clinic)
Linru Xu, Postdoctoral fellow (01/2018-05/2022; current position: Associate Professor, China Pharmaceutical University)
Apratim Bajpai, PhD student, Mechanical Engineering, NYU (09/2017-07/2022; current position: Postdoctoral fellow, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai)
Nawab Singh, Postdoctoral fellow (11/2021-05/2022; current position: Postdoctoral fellow, Iowa State University)
Jie Tong, Postdoctoral fellow (01/2018-05/2022; current position: Postdoctoral fellow, NYU Langone)
Weiyi Qian, PhD student, Mechanical Engineering, NYU (09/2014-12/2019; current position: Postdoctoral fellow, NYU Langone)
Xin Cui, Postdoctoral fellow (07/2016-12/2018; current position: Associate Professor, Jinan University)
Jingyi Zhu, Postdoctoral fellow (05/2017-10/2018; current position: Senior Scientist, EnerVenue)
Haoyu Wang, Postdoctoral fellow (06/2017-05/2018; current position: Lead Materials Scientist, Becton Dickinson)
Qianbin Wang, Postdoctoral fellow (01/2016-01/2017; current position: Research Assistant Professor, UMass Amherst)

Master Students:
Shuhao Zhang, Mechanical Engineering (01/2023-05/2024)
Hexiang Zhang, Mechanical Engineering (01/2023-05/2024)
Nicholas Ohm, Biomedical Engineering (09/2023-05/2024)
Zongyu Ma, Mechanical Engineering (01/2023-05/2023)
Benteng Ma, Biotechnology (09/2020-05/2023)
Xinya Liu, Biotechnology (06/2022-09/2022)
Zhuoyu Zhang, Mechanical Engineering (09/2020-08/2022; current position: PhD student, Northeastern University)
Walida Ali, Biotechnology (06/2021-09/2022)
Prayag Desai, Mechanical Engineering (09/2021-05/2022)
Vishwajeetsinh Dhirenkumar Rahevar, Mechanical Engineering (09/2021-05/2022)
Mahad Noor, Mechanical Engineering (09/2021-05/2022)
Jimmy Chang, Biomedical Engineering (09/2021-05/2022)
Nia Javier, Biomedical Engineering (09/2021-05/2022)
Muhammad Faayez Qureshi, Biomedical Engineering (06/2021-05/2022)
Jiewen Luo, Biomedical Engineering (06/2021-08/2021)
Harry Peng, BS/MS Student, Biomedical Engineering (05/2018-05/2021, current position: PhD student, Cornell University)
Greg McDermott, Biomedical Engineering (11/2019-05/2021)
Tianyi Li, Biomedical Engineering (11/2019-05/2020)
Asher Varon, Biomedical Engineering (02/2020-05/2020)
Jacob Charles Harris, Biomedical Engineering (05/2018-05/2019)
Sheetal Sreeram, Biology (05/2018-05/2019; PhD student, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine)
Ayoub Glia, visiting Ph.D. Student, Mechanical Engineering, NYU Abu Dhabi (01/2018-05/2018)
Lanqi Gong, BS/MS Student, Biomolecular Science (01/2015-06/2018; PhD student, Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong Kong)
Jimmy Yau, Biomedial Engineering (06/2017-05/2018; current position: PhD Student, Lehigh University)
Yubo Wang, Biomedial Engineering (06/2017-09/2017)
Ayoola Brimmo, visiting Ph.D. Student, Mechanical Engineering, NYU Abu Dhabi (01/2017-05/2017; Co-Founder and COO @ Cycled Technologies AS)
Jiatai Sun, Mechanical Engineering (09/2016-12/2016)
Danshu Cong, Mechanical Engineering (09/2016-12/2016)
Xin Sui, Visiting PhD student, Physical Chemistry, Beihang University (10/2016-12/2016)
Xiaoyu Xu, Biomedial Engineering (05/2015-06/2016; PhD, Purdue University)
Caroline Kopfler, Biomedial Engineering (05/2015-05/2016)
Affan Ali Syed, Mechanical Engineering (01/2015-05/2015)
Yan Zhang, Mechanical Engineering (09/2014-09/2015)

Undergradaute Students:
Xiuxian (Sue) Li, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering(06/2023-12/2023)
Jingwei Tang, Material Science, Tsinghua University (06/2023-09/2023)
Neil Thomas, Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin (06/2023-08/2023)
Hannah Chen, Material Science, University of California, Berkeley (06/2023-08/2023)
Brendon Jiang, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (06/2023-08/2023)
Lina Park, Biomolecular Science(06/2020-04/2023)
Saee Patwardhan, Biomolecular Science (06/2022-08/2022)
Yu Xie, Biomolecular Science (06/2022-08/2022)
Rashik Chand, Bioengineering, NYU Abu Dhabi (06/2022-08/2022)
Patrick Dowd, Mechanical Engineering, NYU Abu Dhabi(09/2021-12/2021)
Kaity Pacsai, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering(06/2019-12/2021)
Kristen He, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering(05/2019-08/2021)
Zhenxing Wu, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering(05/2019-08/2021)
Aarushi Varshney, Biomolecular Science (06/2019-08/2021)
Camden Riley Rowe, Biomolecular Science and Biomedicine (06/2019-08/2021)
Nia Javier, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering(03/2019- 05/2021)
Aroosha Aamir, Biomolecular Science (11/2019-05/2021)
Siqi Du, Computer Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison (06/2019-08/2020)
Billal Alamarie, Biomolecular Science (11/2019-05/2020)
Asma Khursheed, Construction Management (06/2019-05/2020)
Allie Karakosta, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering (6/2019-05/2020)
Mrinalini Singh, Biomolecular Science (05/2019-12/2019)
Si Yun Park, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering (6/2019-12/2019)
Mrinalini Singh, Biomolecular Science (06/2019-12/2019)
Zijing Zhang, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (01/2017-08/2019)
Jessan Jishu, Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (05/2019-08/2019)
Huiyu Li, Pharmacy, Fudan University (07/2019-08/2019)
Hongtong Li, Measurement & Control Technology and Instruments, Tianjin University (07/2019-08/2019)
Yutung Yen, Biomedical Engineering, Nanjing University (07/2019-08/2019)
Sarah Liang, Biomolecular Science (06/2019-08/2019)
Chase Rosenberg, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering (06/2019-08/2019)
Renee-Tyler Tan Morales, Biomolecular Science (01/2015-05/2019)
Veronica Li, Biomolecular Science (10/2018-08/2019)
Jessica Smith, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (09/2018-05/2019)
Joseph Andrew Bishop, Biochemical Engineering (09/2018-05/2019)
Park Eunha, Mechanical Engineering (06/2018-12/2018)
Huiying Xu, Mechanical Engineering (05/2018-08/2018)
Leavitt Olivia, Biomedical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (06/2018-08/2018)
Kevin Guan, Biomolecular Science (08/2016-07/2018)
Caroline Paulson, Biomolecular Science (12/2017-05/2018)
Sarah Angela Pak, Biomolecular Science (08/2017-05/2018)
Albert Chenhui Cai, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (09/2017-05/2018)
Jiongxian Huang, Biomedical Engineering (06/2017-05/2018)
Paola Terolli, Mechanical Engineering (02/2018-05/2018)
Adi Jain, Mechanical Engineering (01/2018-05/2018)
Aimen Shaikh, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (01/2018-05/2018)
Roy J Chen, Biomolecular Science (06/2016-12/2017)
Joyce Yan, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (06/2017-12/2017)
Fangni Zeng, Mechanical Engineering (06/2017-08/2017)
Jing Yang, Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University (06/2017-08/2017)
Levan Asatiani, Mechanical Engineering, New York Univeristy Abu Dhabi (06/2017-08/2017)
Adam Grosvirt-Dramen, Chemical Engineering, California State University, Long Beach (06/2017-08/2017)
Phoebe Welch, Biomedical Engineering, State University of New York at Buffalo (06/2017-08/2017)
Jianhua Fan, Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University (07/2016-08/2016)
Danielle Chase, Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (06/2016-08/2016)
Derrick Yuen, Mechanical Engineering (01/2016-5/2016)
Andrew Gordon, Mechanical Engineering (01/2015-12/2015)
Nasir Iqbal, Mechanical Engineering (01/2015-08/2015)
Ahmed Aladly, Chemical Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology (06/2015-08/2015)
Zeheng Jiao, Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University (07/2015-08/2015)
Felipe Galvao De Campos Camargo, Mechanical Engineering, Universidade Tecnologica Federal do Parana, Ponta Grossa/Brazil (05/2015-08/2015)
Paulo Andre Dania Ferreira, Mechatronics Engineering,Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), State University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil (05/2015-08/2015)

High School Students:
Milo Writer, New Explorations into Science, Technology and Math High School (07/2023-08/2023)
Sandra Labriel, Talent Unlimited High School (07/2023-08/2023)
Rishima Pokharel, Townsend Harris High School (07/2022-08/2022)
Nayeem Azan, Laguardia High School (07/2022-08/2022)
Lina Raouf, The Baccalaureate School for Global Education (07/2021-08/2021)
Gregory Papadopoulos, Professional Performing Arts School (07/2021-08/2021)
Bariat Bashiru, Brooklyn Technical High School (07/2020-08/2020)
Maima Islam, New Explorations into Science, Technology, and Math School (07/2020-08/2020)
Aliyan Malik, Midwood High School at Brooklyn College, 2019 ARISE Program (07/2019-08/2019)
Gideon Asumeng, Laguardia High School Music Art, 2018 ARISE Program (07/2019-08/2019)
Manan Shukla, Wheatley High School (02/2018-08/2018)
Theodora Athanitis, Brooklyn Technical High School, 2018 ARISE Program (07/2018-08/2018)
Fariha Hanif, The Baccalaureate School for Global Education, 2018 ARISE Program (07/2018-08/2018)
Rubiel Aquino, Breakthrough New York, 2018 ARISE Program (07/2018-08/2018)
Joya Debi, Hunter College High School, 2017 ARISE Program (07/2017-08/2017)
Annie Rozenblyum, Leon M. Goldstein High School for the Sciences, 2017 ARISE Program (07/2017-08/2017)
Constantine Athanitis, Stuyvesant High School (02/2016-11/2016), current undergraduate student at Stanford University
Lillian Baker, Laguardia high school, 2016 ARISE Program (07/2016-08/2016)
Paul Spezza, Forest Hills High School, 2016 ARISE Program (07/2016-08/2016)
Menjin Kuk, Stuyvesant high school, 2015 ARISE Program (07/2015-08/2015)
Wuraola Omotosho, Brooklyn Latin School, 2015 ARISE Program (07/2015-08/2015)
Malik Bolden, Poly Prep Country Day School, 2015 ARISE Program (07/2015-08/2015)
Kristine Ly, Midwood high school (01/2015-08/2015)
Linda Zhu, Midwood high school (01/2015-08/2015)