The Lu group is interested in doing research at the interface of engineering and biology. We engineer BioMEMS (Bio Micro-Electro-Mechanical System) and microfluidic devices to address questions in neuroscience, cell biology, and biotechnology that are difficult to answer using conventional techniques. These micro systems are sometimes referred to as Lab-on-a-Chip. Applied to the study of fundamental biological questions, these new techniques allow us to gather large-scale quantitative data about complex systems. Microfluidic devices are especially suitable for solving these problems because of the many advantages associated with shrinking the devices down to a scale comparable to typical biological systems. Furthermore, unique phenomena at the micro and nano length scale, such as enhanced surface effects and transport phenomena, can be exploited in designing novel techniques and devices.
The Lu group explores both experimental and modeling approaches to understand how biological systems react to and interact with their (micro)environment. We bring together molecular and genetic techniques and the micro devices to further our understanding of the complex biological systems. For example, we are interested in how genes and environment influence neuronal functions and animal behavior. We are making micro devices to investigate molecular events and signaling networks, cellular behavior, connectivity and activities of populations of cells, and the resulting complex behaviors of the animals. The ultimate goal is to bring new technologies to understand natural and dysfunctional states of biological systems and ultimately bring cures to diseases.