MinJun Kim

• Thermal Science and Fluid Mechanics; Dynamics and Control
• Microbiorobotics
• Soft robotics
• Single molecule biophysics
• Single cell analysis
• Micro/nanofluidics

 

Ongoing research program can be broadly categorized into three core subject areas: micro/nanorobotics, single cell/single molecule biophysics, and transport phenomena. Although each core program consists of a distinct project, we would like to emphasize their synergistic nature – advances in one core are expected to drive the development of the others. The unifying component of all the cores is “biologically inspired nano/micro engineering.” Rapid advances in science and engineering over the past 20 years have enabled us to manipulate matter down to the atomic level. With this unprecedented level of control over matter extraordinary new technologies are being developed with applications spanning a diverse array of fields ranging from biology to robotics. Today there exist a diversity range of nano/microfabrication techniques that are capable of producing small scale functional materials and devices. These new stimuli responsive devices open up the possibility to probe biology on the length scales where fundamental biological processes take place, such as epigenetic and genetic control of single cells. Currently our lab is actively researching four broad topics revolving around small scale engineering: Microbiorobotics for Manipulation and Sensing, Synthetic Nanopore Fabrication and Single Molecule/Single Cell Analysis, Biologically Inspired Metamaterials for Nano/Optoelectronics, and Swimming and Flying at Low Reynold Number.

 

 Nanofluidics 2nd Edition is now published. Specific applications with a focus on bioanalysis are given with case studies. The end of each chapter now also features a methodology section to explain experimental protocols and "tips and tricks." (November 2016)

 

Microbiorobotics 2nd Edition which presents information on a new engineering discipline that takes a multidisciplinary approach to accomplish precise manipulation of microscale spaces. This second edition covers new advances and insights that have emerged in recent years. Several new chapters have been added on important new research areas, with existing chapters thoroughly revised. In particular, increased coverage is given to fluid dynamics of microswimmers in nature. (February 2017)

 

 

U.K. Cheang, F. Meshkati, H. Kim, K. Lee, H.C. Fu, MinJun Kim, “Versatile microrobotics using simple modular subunits,” Sci. Rep., Vol. 6, 30472, 2016.
H. Kim, MinJun Kim, “Electric field control of bacteria-powered microrobots (BPMs) using static obstacle avoidance algorithm,” IEEE Trans. Robot., Vol. 32, No. 1, p. 125-137, 2016.
A. Darvish, G. Goyal, R. Aneja, R.V.K. Sundarm, K.D. Lee, C.W. Ahn, K.-B. Kim, P. Vlahovska, MinJun Kim, “Nanoparticle mechanics: deformation detection via nanopore resistive pulse sensing,” Nanoscale, Vol. 8, p. 14420-14431, 2016.
G. Goyal, A. Darvish, MinJun Kim, “Use of solid-state nanopores forsensing co-translocational deformation of nano-liposomes,” Analyst, Vol. 140, No. 14, p. 4865-4873, 2015.
K.J. Freedman, S.R. Haq, M.R. Fletcher, J.P. Foley, P. Jemth, J.B. Edel, MinJun Kim, “Stochastic protein sensing at non-equilibrium capture rate conditions yields accummulation at the nanopore entrance,” ACS Nano, Vol. 8, No. 12, p.12238-12249, 2014.
U.K. Cheang, F. Meshkati, D.H. Kim, MinJun Kim, H. Fu, “Minimal geometric requirements for micropropulsion via magnetic rotation,” Phys. Rev. E, Vol. 90, 033007, 2014.
K.J. Freedman, C.W. Ahn, MinJun Kim, “Detection of long and short DNA using nanopores with graphitic polyhedral edges,” ACS Nano, Vol. 7, No. 6, p5008-5016, 2013.
W. Jo, MinJun Kim, “Influence of the photothermal effect of a gold nanorod cluster on biofilm disinfection,” Nanotechnology, Vol. 24, 195104, 2013.
K.J. Freedman, A. Bastian, I. Chaiken, MinJun Kim, “Solid-state nanopore detection of antibody-antigen complexes: a HIV model study,” Small, Vol.9, No.5, p750-759, 2013.
W. Jo, K.J. Freedman, D.K. Yi, MinJun Kim, “Fabrication of tunable silica-mineralized nanotubes using flagella as bio-templates,” Nanotechnology, Vol. 23, 055601, 2012.

Dr. MinJun Kim is presently the Robert C. Womack Endowed Chair Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Southern Methodist University. He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in mechanical engineering from Yonsei University in Korea and Texas A&M University, respectively. Dr. Kim completed his Ph.D. degree in engineering at Brown University, where he held the prestigious Simon Ostrach Fellowship. Following his graduate studies, Dr. Kim was a postdoctoral research fellow in the Rowland Institute at Harvard University. He joined Drexel University in 2006 as an Assistant Professor and was later promoted to Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics. Since Aug. 2016, he has been the Director of Biological Actuation, Sensing and Transport Laboratory (BASTLab) at the Lyle School of Engineering. Dr. Kim has been exploring biological transport phenomena including cellular/molecular mechanics and engineering in novel nano/microscale architectures to produce new types of nanobiotechology, such as nanopore technology and nano/micro robotics. His notable awards include the National Science Foundation CAREER Award (2008), Drexel Career Development Award (2008), Human Frontier Science Program Young Investigator Award (2009), Army Research Office Young Investigator Award (2010), Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship (2011), KOFST Brain Pool Fellowship (2013), Bionic Engineering Outstanding Contribution Award (2013), Louis & Bessie Stein Fellowship (2014), ISBE Fellow (2014), ASME Fellow (2014), Netexplo Award (2016), and KSEA & KOFST Engineer of the Year Award (2016). IEEE elevated him to senior member this year (2017).