College Launches Initiative in Micro/Nanosystems for Engineering and Life Sciences

by Melvyn C. Branch
Associate Dean for Research and Administration

Associate Dean Mel Branch was awarded the Joseph T. Negler Chair in Engineering this year in recognition of his outstanding leadership, teaching, and research.

One of the most exciting new areas for research collaboration in modern engineering systems involves the manufacture and use of micron and nanometer scale structures and devices. The College of Engineering and Applied Science is focusing its resources and expertise on the development of a new interdisciplinary institute to develop cutting-edge technologies for development of micro and nanosystems in engineering and the life sciences.

The organization of the new research initiative is a natural outgrowth of existing expertise in the College and affiliations with other units across the campus and in national laboratories and industry. Microelectronics and information technology are strengths of our Optoelectronic Computing Systems Center and the Colorado Center for Information Storage. Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) have been exploited in the MEDICA and CAMPmode centers for a number of years. Bioengineering at the molecular, nanometer and micrometer scales are important in the Membrane Applied Science and Technology and the Pharmaceutical Biotechnology centers. Finally, micro/nano-scale materials fabrication is of interest across the disciplines impacted by these new devices.

The organization of a college wide initiative in micro/nanosystems offers the opportunity to coordinate these and other related research and teaching areas across departmental and college lines. Some of the research areas we are pursuing include reliable manufacturing and packaging of nanosystems, nanoelectronic computing devices, micro-instrumentation for on-line diagnostics and control, haptic interfaces for micro-telemanipulation and microsurgery, and lab-on-a-chip devices.

Development of these devices and their control systems will impact all areas of engineering and life sciences. Miniature devices implanted in the body will be able to monitor body function and dispense medication when needed. Micron-sized detectors can be used to monitor the quality of air or water in our environment. Communication devices can be made even smaller and more functional. Microsensors will be used to indicate an impending structural failure.

The realization of this new initiative relies on a coordinated effort among a number of stakeholders. The College of Engineering plays a key role in the integration of the fundamental scientific understanding into useful devices. The College of Arts and Sciences has considerable expertise in the molecular scale nano-machines that can enable the smallest scale devices. Government national laboratories have the extensive manufacturing facilities to optimize fabrication parameters for these new devices.

The institute will forge synergistic relationships with the national laboratories and other key players from industry and academia from across the nation to develop cutting-edge technologies needed at the intersection of nano/microsystems, informatics, and life sciences. I fully expect it will propel the University of Colorado into national/international prominence in the selected technology areas, attract top quality students and industry, and help the State of Colorado and the nation to meet the needs of the 21st century.