Event Location: NSH 1305
Bio: Yu Sun is an associate professor in the Dept. of Mechanical
and Industrial Engineering, with joint appointments in the
Inst. of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering and the
Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the
University of Toronto (UofT).

He is a McLean Senior Fellow at UofT and the Canada
Research Chair in Micro and Nano Engineering Systems.
His Ph.D. was in mechanical engineering from the
University of Minnesota in 2003. Prior to joining the faculty
of Toronto in 2004, Sun held a Research Scientist position at
the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH-Zürich).

His Advanced Micro and Nanosystems Laboratory at
Toronto specializes in the manipulation and characterization of single cells,
biomolecules, and nanomaterials using MEMS and micro-nanorobotics approaches. Sun
has published over 130 technical articles and is an inventor of 12 US/PCT patents
(granted or pending) on micro-nano systems and devices. Two start-up companies were
created based on the technologies from his patents. Sun is a technical editor of IEEE
Trans. on Mechatronics, an associate editor of IEEE Trans. on Automation Science and
Engineering, and on the editorial board of the journal, Micro & Nano Letters.

Abstract: Living cells are a complex, dynamic entity, continuously adapting and responding to
biochemical and mechanical cues. Cellular metabolism and fate can be regulated through
various factors, such as the introduction of biomolecules or through mechanobiological
stimuli (e.g., mechanical stimuli, extracellular matrix, and soluble biochemical signals).

In this context, we develop enabling MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) tools and
micro-nanorobotic systems to physically interrogate single cells. I will briefly introduce
our bioMEMS research in cell mechanical characterization and stimulation. I will then
spend more time on introducing our micro-nanorobotics research in the manipulation
of cells and molecules under optical and electron microscopy, particularly on our recent
molecule screen work and clinical applications.