Members

Team

Our team consists experts in making new polymers, characterizing their properties, fabricating materials, and creating design models at both the molecular and macro scales.

The PIs

Keith Brown

Keith A. Brown is an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science & Engineering, and Physics at Boston University. He earned an S.B. in Physics from MIT, a Ph.D. in Applied Physics at Harvard University with Robert M. Westervelt, and was an International Institute for Nanotechnology postdoctoral fellow with Chad A. Mirkin at Northwestern University. The KABlab studies approaches to accelerate the development of advanced materials and structures with a focus on polymers. The group employs self-driving labs, additive manufacturing, miniaturization of experiments using scanning probe techniques, and novel platforms for parallel materials development to achieve these goals. Keith has co-authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications, six issued patents, and his work has been recognized through awards including the Frontiers of Materials Award from The Minerals, Metals, & Materials Society (TMS), a Google Faculty Research Award, being recognized as a “Future Star of the AVS,” the Omar Farha Award for Research Leadership from Northwestern University, and the AVS Nanometer-Scale Science and Technology Division Postdoctoral Award. Keith served on the Nano Letters Early Career Advisory Board, co-organized a National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine Workshop on AI for Scientific Discovery, and currently leads the MRS Artificial Intelligence in Materials Development Staging Task Force.

Andrew Ferguson

Andrew Ferguson is an Associate Professor and Vice Dean for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago. His research uses theory, simulation, and machine learning to understand and design self-assembling materials, macromolecular folding, and antiviral therapies. He is the recipient of a 2020 Dreyfus Foundation Award for Machine Learning in the Chemical Sciences and Engineering, 2018/19 Junior Moulton Medal of the Institution of Chemical Engineers, 2016 AIChE CoMSEF Young Investigator Award for Modeling & Simulation, 2015 ACS OpenEye Outstanding Junior Faculty Award, and 2014 NSF CAREER Award. He is the co-founder of the protein engineering company Evozyne, Inc. (www.evozyne.com).

Grace Gu

Grace Gu is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. She received her PhD and MS in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and her BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Her current research focuses on designing and manufacturing novel materials with superior properties for mechanical, biological, and energy applications using multiphysics modeling, additive manufacturing, artificial intelligence, and high-throughput computing.

Chenfeng Ke

Chenfeng Ke is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Washington University in St. Louis. He obtained his B.S. and Ph.D. from the College of Chemistry, Nankai University, in 2004 and 2009, respectively. He worked with Prof. Anthony Davis at the University of Bristol (2009–2011, Newton fellow, Royal Society), and Sir Fraser Stoddart at Northwestern University (2011–2015), before taking the faculty position at Dartmouth College (2015 to 2023). In 2024, his group moved to Washington University in St. Louis. His research focuses on developing supramolecularly designed 3D printing materials and hydrogen-bonded crosslinked organic frameworks (HCOFs).

Ronald Smaldone

Ronald A. Smaldone is an associate professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Texas at Dallas. He received his B.S. in chemistry from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign while working with Jeffrey S. Moore followed by a postdoctoral appointment with Sir Fraser Stoddart at Northwestern University. The Smaldone group uses the principles of dynamic and supramolecular chemistry to design micro and mesoporous self-assembled materials with high molecular precision, and 3D-printable polymers that use dynamic covalent chemistry to produce materials with reduced mechanical defects through self-healing.

The Junior Researchers

Luna Ramírez

Zeqing Jin

Grace Hu

Cheng Peng

Yufei Chen

Priyanka Singh

Dan Zheng

Gaveshika Rajapaksha

Jiasuo Wang

Luna Ramirez, a first-year Ph.D. student at the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, works with Professor Andrew Ferguson. Her research focuses on molecular modeling and machine learning for adaptive networks in extreme mechanics. Born and raised in Colombia, she is passionate about addressing climate change challenges. Beyond her research, Luna enjoys reading fiction, dancing, and exploring the world of fashion.

Zeqing Jin is currently a fourth year PhD candidate in Professor Grace Gu's lab at UC Berkeley Mechanical Engineering. His research interest lies in AI for Science with topics including physics based computational mechanics, inverse design optimization, and smart additive manufacturing. He was honored with the John and Janet McMurtry Fellowship and also appointed as a Bakar Innovation Fellow at UC Berkeley in 2023.

Grace Hu is a 4th year Bioengineering PhD candidate in the joint UC Berkeley-UCSF Graduate Program, where she is co-advised in Professor Grace Gu’s lab. Her research lies at the nexus of computational design and 3D-bioprinting to advance tissue engineering for regenerative medicine. She has been honored with the Bakar BioEnginuity Impact Grant, NDSEG Fellowship, and H2H8 Graduate Research Grant Award. In her free time she enjoys singing with the UCSF Vocal Chords a cappella group, playing board games, and exploring the Bay Area with friends.

Cheng Peng is currently a first-year graduate student in Prof. Chenfeng Ke's group. His research mainly focuses on developing functional polypseudorotaxane gels and their 3D printing. Born and raised in Shanghai, Cheng enjoys delicious food and playing with friends.

Yufei Chen is a second-year PhD student in Professor Chenfeng Ke’s lab at WashU Chemistry. His research focuses on the design and synthesis of polyrotaxane hydrogels. Yufei grew up in Soochow, a city renowned for poetry and classical gardens. Besides chemistry, Yufei also enjoys history and geography.

Priyanka Singh is a second-year graduate student in Dr. Chenfeng Ke’s group at Washington University in St. Louis. Her research focuses on the development of advanced materials for applications in 3D printing and additive manufacturing.

Originally from Kolkata, India—widely known as the “City of Joy” for its rich history and cultural heritage. Beyond chemistry, she enjoys playing sports and swimming."

Dr. Dan Zheng is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Washington University in St. Louis, working with Prof. Chenfeng Ke. She earned her B.S. in chemistry from Capital Normal University and completed her PhD training at Beijing Normal University. With the broader goal of creating next-generation artificial materials, her current research combines molecular design with advanced 3D-printing technologies to engineer multifunctional soft materials. Beyond Chemistry, she enjoys history, photography, and literature.

Gaveshika Rajapaksha is a third-year graduate student in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Texas at Dallas. She is working with Professor Ronald Smaldone. Her research mainly focuses on designing double-network hydrogels with mechanical bonds and their 3D printing. She grew up in Sri Lanka and enjoy preparing various cuisines and playing board games.

Jiashuo Wang is a 3rd-year Ph.D. candidate in Professor Keith A. Brown's lab at Boston University. His research interest lies in developing intelligent self-driving labs with AI-driven methods to accelerate scientific discoveries. Beyond research, he enjoys traveling and playing the violin.

TBD

place holder

TBD