Research Overview

Artifical Microswimmers
Artifical microswimmers are capable of harnessing energy from their surroundings and drive themselves out of thermodynamic equilibrium. Consequently, unlike Brownian particles, where equilibrium thermal fluctuations leads to random motion, artificial active colloids offer more control over the dynamics of particles and feature various novel transport and self-assembly behaviors. In our group, we are currently endeavoring into investigating several unexplored fundamental questions pertaining to their motion through optical microscopy experiments. Our long-term objective is to develop controlled strategies for the manipulation of cargo delivery and the release of entrapped/attached cargos to these micro-swimmers. We seek to design innovative approaches for precise cargo uptake, transport, and targeted release, with a focus on advancing applications in controlled drug delivery. Through our research, we aim to harness the physical properties of artifical microswimmers to create systems capable of intelligent, adaptive behaviour in real-world, dynamic environments.

Responsive Soft Materials
Responsive soft materials, particularly those based on liquid crystals (LCs), exhibit dynamic behavior in response to external stimuli such as temperature, light, electric fields, or chemical signals. Their unique combination of fluidity and long-range molecular order enables tunable optical, mechanical, and interfacial properties. LC-based responsive materials are being actively explored for applications in sensing, actuation, controlled drug delivery, and smart coatings, where their ability to reconfigure and adapt to environmental changes makes them ideal candidates for next-generation functional systems.