Welcome to the Biological Materials, Bio-inspiration, and Biomechanics Laboratory (BMBB Lab) website.

At the BMBB Lab, we investigate the structural and mechanical properties of biological materials, from hard tissues like crustacean exoskeletons to soft tissues such as the aorta and skin. Our research focuses on uncovering the complex structure-property-function relationships in these materials, relating their structural and mechanical properties to their physiological function. Using a multidisciplinary approach and cutting-edge technologies such as AFM, TEM, FIB-SEM, nano-indentation, and in situ mechanical testing, we study these natural materials to investigate their strength, elasticity, time-dependent behavior, and both extrinsic and intrinsic toughening mechanisms. Inspired by the ingenious solutions found in nature, we explore biological materials composed of both organic and inorganic components to extract nature's design principles, informing the development of advanced materials with enhanced properties and functionalities. These innovations have broad applications in medicine, biomimetics, and engineering. We also investigate the biomechanics of soft tissues, such as the human aorta, from the extracellular matrix (ECM) level down to cellular and intracellular structures, including organelles within the cells and individual proteins within the ECM. A key focus of our work is understanding how diseases such as aortic stenosis and aneurysms impact aorta function at multiple length scales, from molecular disruptions to whole-organ behavior. Our overall goal is to bridge the gap between biology and engineering, driving both medical and technological innovations that improve health outcomes and lead to real-life applications.