What biomedical MEMS research does the Caltech MEMS Lab conduct?

Updated

The Caltech MEMS Lab, led by Professor Yu-Chong Tai, applies semiconductor, MEMS, and NEMS fabrication technologies to medical problems. Its biomedical work centers on four areas: parylene-based neural implants (cortical, retinal, and spinal), microfluidic biochemical analysis systems such as HPLC-on-a-chip and blood-labs-on-a-chip, wireless micro drug delivery, and cell-related research including circulating tumor cell enrichment and stem cell treatment of age-related macular disease. The lab is a 7,000-square-foot facility dedicated to biomedical devices and MEMS/NEMS, including a roughly 3,000-square-foot clean room, a CAD lab, and several measurement/metrology labs.

Neural and biomedical implants

A major program in the lab is miniature or micro implants. Using a parylene MEMS technology developed in-house, the group works on:

  • Cortical implants — electrode arrays for brain interfacing
  • Retinal implants — devices aimed at restoring or supporting vision
  • Spinal implants — implantable structures for spinal applications

These efforts are collaborative: Professor Tai works with medical doctors and biologists from institutions such as UCSF, USC, and UCLA, as well as industry partners, to develop integrated implants. The stated goal is to combine MEMS fabrication with biological and clinical requirements rather than produce standalone devices.

Microfluidics and lab-on-a-chip

The lab's microfluidics work targets complete biochemical analysis on a chip. Notable examples from the page:

Project What it does
HPLC-on-a-chip Described as the first complete high-performance liquid chromatography system on a chip, for total biochemical analysis
Blood-labs-on-a-chip Microfluidic processing and analysis of blood samples
Wireless micro drug delivery Miniaturized, wirelessly controlled drug delivery devices

Supporting device work includes micro valves and micro pumps, which are the fluid-handling building blocks these systems depend on.

Cell and disease-focused research

Beyond devices, the lab has engaged in:

  • Circulating tumor cell enrichment — isolating tumor cells from blood
  • Stem cell treatment of age-related macular disease — funded by the California Government through a CIRM project

These projects connect the lab's microfluidic and implant capabilities to specific clinical problems rather than general platform development.

Earlier device foundations

The biomedical direction builds on earlier MEMS work in active fluid sensing and control, including pressure sensors, shear-stress sensors, hot-wire anemometers, flexible sensor skins, magnetic actuators, and rubber-balloon actuators. Past devices also include micromotors, microphones, neural chips, micro relays, micro power generators, micro valves, and micro pumps. A consistent theme across all of it is MEMS system integration — for example, smart MEMS surfaces for turbulence drag reduction, MEMS for delta-wing aerodynamic control, and MEMS-maneuvered unmanned aerial vehicles.

Scale and output

Professor Tai has published roughly 700 articles with more than 11,000 citations, and holds more than 200 granted and pending patents in the MEMS field. The lab supports graduate students, postdocs, visiting scholars, and industrial members working on devices such as neural chips, micro implants, and drug delivery devices. A publication list is available on the lab's Publications page.

If you want to evaluate the lab for collaboration or graduate study, the practical starting points are the publications list (for specific device designs and results) and the named clinical collaborators (UCSF, USC, UCLA), which indicate where the implant and cell-work programs are tested and applied.