(Mechanics of Biological and Soft Materials)
Symposium Organizers:
Yanfei Gao, University of Tennessee
ygao@utk.edu
Zhiwen Gao, Lanzhou University, China
gaozhw@lzu.edu.cn
Symposium Technical Description
Over the past two decades, the solid mechanics community has witnessed a rapid development and widespread application of biomechanics at small length scales. One central topic of interests is the bio-adhesive contacts, which exhibit adhesion properties that are surprisingly high or low in comparisons to engineering surfaces and structures. From the structural point of view, fibrillar structures have been extensively studied in biological systems and artificial miniature systems. Living objects also accomplish strong adhesion by chemomechanical mechanisms such as mobile binders in cell adhesion and endocytopsis. These lines of studies not only extend the capability of theoretical modeling and simulations of applied mechanics, but also drive the development of new ingredients in the current mechanics framework.
This symposium will serve as a venue for researchers from various backgrounds to exchange ideas and perspectives on bio-adhesive contacts. Topics of interests include, but are not limited to, issues in the development of mechanics framework for bio-adhesion; applications in small structures and devices; cell adhesion, internalization of foreign objects, endocytosis; cell motility; investigation of mechanics problems in novel biological applications; methods to reach extreme adhesive properties.