Research strengths and labs in Biomedical Engineering
The research conducted within the department is in the broad areas of bioinstrumentation and imaging, biomaterials, tissue engineering and regeneration, and biomechanics. We work in close collaboration with colleagues in the Institute for Applied Life Sciences (IALS), the College of Engineering, and the College of Natural Sciences. Several of our faculty members have their labs located at the UMass Chan Medical School in Worcester and they closely collaborate with UMCMS researchers and practitioners.
Immunoengineering nanomaterials for complex diseases Lab
The Atukorale Lab engineers immunomodulatory nanoparticles to reprogram the tumor immune microenvironment in difficult-to-treat and metastatic cancers. Nanoparticle platforms are designed to co-deliver synergistic innate immune agonists and to support novel cancer vaccination strategies. The lab also works to improve the clinical performance of checkpoint inhibitors and CAR T cell therapies through combination with these engineered nanomaterials.
Skeletal Fragility Group
The Bailey Research Group investigates mechanisms of skeletal fragility caused by cancer and cancer-related treatments, including chemotherapy and hormone therapy. Using biomechanical testing, histology, and computational modeling, the lab quantifies how tumors and their treatments alter bone quality and fracture risk. Findings inform strategies to predict and mitigate fractures in cancer patients, improving survival and quality of life.
Bio-Micro Robotics Lab
The Bio-Micro Robotics Lab develops magnetically actuated micro- and nanorobotic systems for targeted therapy and minimally invasive biomedical interventions. Research spans magnetic manipulation of cells and therapeutic agents, piezoelectric MEMS and NEMS devices for sensing and actuation, and vascular intervention systems. Applications include precision drug and gene delivery, neural interfacing, and next-generation diagnostic platforms.
Neural Engineering Group
The Cornelison Group develops therapeutic strategies for restoring neurological function after spinal cord injury and other forms of neural trauma. Drawing on principles from cancer biology and materials science, the lab engineers biomaterial scaffolds and cellular interventions designed to retrain the damaged nervous system and overcome physical and biochemical barriers to tissue regrowth.
Optical and Multiparametric Noninvasive Imaging Lab (OMNI Lab)
PI: Bin Deng, PhD
The OMNI Lab develops quantitative, multimodal imaging and sensing technologies for noninvasive diagnosis and treatment monitoring. Our research integrates optical imaging, magnetic resonance elastography, computational modeling, and AI to characterize vascular, metabolic, and biomechanical tissue properties. We translate engineering innovations to clinical impact by creating functional imaging biomarkers and wearable technologies for applications in cancer, women’s health, and neuroimaging.
Biomechanics Lab
The Donahue Research Lab studies the biology, physiology, and mechanics of bone using animals adapted to extreme environmental conditions, including hibernating bears. By identifying molecular and structural mechanisms that protect bone during disuse and metabolic stress, the lab generates insights applicable to osteoporosis, spaceflight-related bone loss, and immobilization in clinical populations.
Biomedical Imaging and Data Science Lab (BIDSLab)
BIDSLab develops artificial intelligence (AI) and signal processing methods for biomedical applications spanning molecular imaging, brain network analysis, sleep science, and clinical predictive analytics. Research areas include PET super-resolution and denoising, Alzheimer's disease staging and subtyping, imaging genetics, structural connectomics, amyloid and tau progression modeling, automated sleep staging from wearables, and dosimetry for radiopharmaceutical cancer therapy.
Translational Biomaterials for Therapeutics Group
The Gao Research Group advances gene therapies for CNS diseases and aging by engineering novel non-viral vectors and biomaterials. Our research focuses on bypassing the blood-brain barrier to achieve regional targeting and cell-specific delivery. Applications include gene therapies for stroke, traumatic brain injury, neuroinflammation, and neurodegeneration.
Time in Biomaterials and Drug Delivery Lab
The Kearney Lab engineers biomaterial systems that deliver therapeutics at precisely controlled time points, mimicking the temporal dynamics of natural biological signaling. The lab investigates how delivery timing influences tissue repair and regeneration, and how aging alters cellular and tissue-level responses. Applications include wound healing, musculoskeletal repair, and the development of age-aware therapeutic strategies.
2D Bioelectronics Lab
The 2D Bioelectronics Lab develops wearable and implantable bioelectronic devices using graphene and other two-dimensional materials. Research spans biomolecule biosensors, wearable e-physiological monitoring (e.g., Blood Pressure), neural interfaces for in vivo electrophysiology, and broadly next-generation hybrid devices that integrate biological and electronic components. Target applications include early stage disease monitoring, brain-machine interfaces, continuous health monitoring, and closed-loop neuromodulation systems.
Biosensing and Biomarker Research Lab
PI: Chang Liu, PhD
The Biosensing and Biomarker Research Lab develops point-of-care diagnostic devices capable of detecting disease biomarkers in bodily fluids, such as blood, urine, or saliva. Research focuses on biosensor design, microfluidic integration, and signal transduction for various disease applications. The lab aims to produce low-cost, portable platforms that can deliver laboratory-quality diagnostic performance outside of traditional clinical settings.
Biomedical Ultrasound Research Lab
The Biomedical Ultrasound Research Lab is mainly focused on ultrasound and OCT-based elastography imaging for exploring biomechanics linked to diseases ranging from cellular scales by using acoustic tweezers to tissue scales by using medical ultrasound, from wave numerical simulations, theoretical derivation and phantom studies to experimental validations, and from basic research (such as elastic wave behaviors, living soft materials) to translational applications into clinical settings. We also develop computer-aided diagnosis methods for medical imaging, segmentation methods, texture analysis, and classifications using machine learning.
Biomaterials to Biomedicine Lab
The Thayumanavan Research Group designs and synthesizes functional biomaterials for therapeutic and diagnostic applications. The lab develops nanocarrier systems for targeted intracellular drug and antibody delivery, with particular focus on cancer therapy and inflammatory disease. Material architectures are engineered at the structural level to control encapsulation, release kinetics, and tissue selectivity, with the ultimate focus on efficacious treatment of difficult-to-treat diseases.
Single-molecule mechanobiology Lab
The Frank Zhang Lab applies single-molecule detection and quantitative biophysical approaches to study mechanobiology in the human circulatory system. Research spans the mechanics of blood clotting, platelet activation, viral adhesion to host cells, and tissue repair. Findings from the lab inform the design of bioinspired soft materials for therapeutic and diagnostic applications.
Intelligent MRI Lab
PI: Jinwei Zhang, PhD
The Intelligent MRI Lab develops artificial intelligence (AI) and numerical computing methods for quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and image processing, spanning pulse sequence development for accelerated MRI acquisition, physics-informed image reconstruction and quantitative tissue characterization, and domain-generalizable AI models for large-scale medical image analysis. Current research areas include fast multicontrast imaging, quantitative susceptibility mapping, and white matter lesion analysis in neurological disorders.
NextGen Therapeutics & Drug Delivery Lab
PI: Chao Zhao, PhD
The Zhao Lab develops polymeric biomaterials, drug delivery systems, and medical devices for disease treatment. Research integrates polymer chemistry, nanomedicine, and tissue engineering, with a particular focus on non-opioid alternatives for pain management and gene therapy vectors for targeted delivery. The lab pursues translational strategies to advance therapeutic candidates toward clinical application.