Welcome to the Laboratory of Soft Materials and Bio-Electronics (SMBE) at the University of Missouri-Columbia (MU). We are an interdisciplinary research group of scientists and engineers, working on soft materials and bio-electronics and dedicating to advancing the science and technology in the intersection of materials, biology, mechanics, electronics, and manufacturing. Our research interests center around creating multifunctional soft materials, exploring multimodal 2D/3D devices, and developing cost-effective, scalable manufacturing approaches for next-generation bio-integrated electronics with unprecedented characteristics to bring solutions to the grand challenges faced in human healthcare. Specifically, our current research consists of three major thrusts: (i) the development of novel soft functional materials that have built-in multifunctionality and long-term biocompatibility and can blur the biotic-abiotic dissimilarities in structures, mechanics, electronics, and biochemistry; (ii) design, fabrication, and on-body evaluation of customized, multimodal and closed-loop bio-integrated electronics that can concurrently record multiple biosignals and provide feedback-based interventions for potential applications in early diagnosis and timely treatment of heart diseases and chronic wounds, as well as elderly care and brain/neural interfacing; and (iii) exploring cost-effective and scalable manufacturing of soft bioelectronics to facilitate their disposable (one-time use) and practical applications. More details can be found here.
Our SMBE lab is committed to fostering a collaborative and supportive environment where researchers are encouraged to explore new ideas and develop innovative solution. We believe that by working together, we can achieve breakthroughs that will advance our understanding of soft materials and bio-electronics and contribute to developing new technologies with real-world applications. Our lab is a place where creativity and curiosity are valued and where every team member is empowered to contribute to our shared goals. If you are interested in working with us, please feel free to contact Prof. Yan at yanzheng@missouri.edu.