Unit Members

Amy Shen
In 2014, I moved from University of Washington to start my new lab at OIST on micro- and bio-fluidics, and anything squishy! Outside work I enjoy the beach, yoga, and exploring/learning more about Okinawa, a perfect work and living paradise. If you are interested in working with us, feel free to contact me or any unit members.

Simon Haward
I completed my Ph.D in Physics in 2002 under the supervision of Dr. Jeff Odell from the University of Bristol (UK) and Prof. Alejandro Muller from Simon Bolivar University (Venezuela). Following postdoctoral research positions first at Bristol, then at MIT with Prof. Gareth McKinley, I obtained a Marie Curie International Research Fellowship which I carried out at the University of Porto (Portugal). I joined OIST as Group Leader for the Micro/Bio/Nanofluidics (Shen) Unit in September 2014. Away from the lab, my main activity is road cycling. In Okinawa I’m also keen to take up sea kayaking and scuba diving.

Vincenzo Calabrese
After completion of my MSc in Food Technology at Wageningen University (NL), I moved to the University of Bath (UK) to pursue my PhD in Chemistry. The project led by Prof. Karen Edler and Prof. Janet Scott focused on the characterisation of the structural-property relationship of colloidal cellulose nanofibrils in bulk and across liquid-liquid interfaces. I also performed scattering techniques (X-rays and Neutrons) and (non)linear rheology to yield structural information of the colloidal state. I joined the Micro/Bio/Nanofluidics unit as a postdoc in January 2020 to link rheological behaviour and structural properties of complex fluids in microfluidics. Besides lab-related activities, I enjoy playing guitar, cycling, open water swimming, and exploring the tropical island.

Ricardo Arturo Lopez de la Cruz
I am originally from San Luis Potosi, Mexico. In 2014 I finished my bachelor's in Engineering Physics at ITESM in Monterrey, Mexico. In 2015 I moved to The Netherlands to do a 2 years masters supervised by Prof. Devaraj van der Meer at the Physics of Fluids group from the University of Twente. During that time, we worked on shear-thickening suspensions. In 2017 I started my Ph.D. under the supervision of Prof. Detlef Lohse and Prof. Xuehua Zhang. My research projects included the Marangoni instability of evaporating binary and ternary mixtures, the ouzo effect, and the dissolution of droplets. I joined the Micro/Bio/Nanofluidics Unit as a postdoc in March 2022 to study the behavior of complex fluids and their interaction with different kinds of solid structures within microfluidic devices. Outside the lab I like to do bouldering and running. While in OIST I would like to explore Okinawa and get to know more about Japanese culture.

Steffen Michael Recktenwald
I earned my Ph.D. in Chemical and Process Engineering from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany under the supervision of Prof. Norbert Willenbacher. During my doctoral studies, I focused on researching polymeric and wormlike micellar solutions, specifically their behavior in strong elongational flow fields. Following my Ph.D., I worked as a postdoctoral researcher with Prof. Christian Wagner at Saarland University. Together, we investigated in vitro blood flow dynamics, employing microfluidic techniques to study red blood cells' behavior in narrow capillaries under different flow conditions. In February 2024, I joined OIST as a staff scientist in the Micro/Bio/Nanofluidics unit, where my research primarily focuses on developing experimental techniques for understanding complex fluids and flows. In particular, we want to understand how viscoelastic polymeric liquids behave in time-dependent extensional flow fields. I am grateful to be a part of the unit and OIST. Outside of work, I'm excited to explore the beauty of Okinawa, its culture, and its cuisine.

Mark Sullivan
After a career in industry (as an analytical chemist) and teaching (ages 11-18), I completed my PhD in Molecularly Imprinted Polymers in 2019 from the University of Central Lancashire (UK) under the guidance of Prof. Sub. Reddy and Dr. Joe Hayes. I then moved to De Montfort University (UK) to complete my first post-doctoral project, under Prof. Nick Tuner, on aptamer-molecularly imprinted nanoparticle hybrids, before moving to the University of Sheffield with Prof. Nick Turner for a second post-doc. My main research is to develop new synthetic recognition materials as alternatives to antibodies. I joined OIST and the Micro/Bio/Nanofluidics (Stern Unit) in May 2024, to develop new materials for biosensing and diagnostics. Away from the lab, I enjoy running, cycling, and board sports. I currently have a sponsorship for a UK electric skateboard company to race boards for them, and was rank 3rd Master at the 2023 World Championships (France).

Kazumi Toda-Peters
I am originally from Seattle where I received my undergraduate degree in Applied and Computational Mathematical Sciences from the University of Washington. Although my background is in math I am fascinated with the more tangible sciences. I recently moved to Okinawa from Hawaii and I brought a few ukuleles with me. I have a wide range of artistic and physical hobbies but my favorites are woodcarving, hiking/camping, snorkeling, bicycling, music, chess, traveling and general goofiness. OIST is quite an amazing place and I am grateful to be here.

Fabian Hillebrand
I received my BSc and MSc degrees at ETH in Zurich studying Computational Science and Engineering, specializing in (computational) chemistry and physics, respectively. After joining OIST remotely in September 2021, my interest in fluid mechanics started to grow as well as my interest in experiments. I am particularly interested in viscoelastic instabilities and elastic turbulence. Outside of work, I enjoy hiking but still have to get used to the weather in Okinawa.

Jiangming Wu
I completed my BEng degree in Xi’an Jiaotong University in China, mainly studying thermal fluid and droplet dynamics. Then I joined OIST remotely as a PhD student in January 2022. Now I am doing my second rotation here and will join this unit for my thesis research from January 2023. My rotation project is about colloidal alignment, a relatively new topic for me. I really enjoy this learning process and exploring many possibilities of my future research topics with all the other fantastic group members. Outside work, I enjoy reading, photography, playing games and exploring the island. Okinawa is such an interesting place that just walking around randomly or simply enjoying the beautiful ocean view can make me very happy. I also want to try various sea sports, but I guess I have to learn how to swim first.

Arisa Yokokoji
I received my BSc degree in Chemistry and MSc degree in Macromolecular science under the supervision of Prof. Tadashi Inoue from Osaka University in Japan.
I visited Shen unit twice as an intern student (2020 September - December and 2021 July - October). And I got interested in microfluidics during these internships, so I decided to join this unit as a PhD student. My research interests are elastic flow instability and the interaction between flow and geometry. Besides the research, I will enjoy exploring Okinawa and the world.

Mauricio Andres Rios Maciel
I completed both my B.Sc and M. Sc in Biotechnology at ITESM in Mexico City, where I focused on studying hydrogel-based extracellular matrixes and cell culture on-a-chip. Following my interest on microfluidics I joined for an internship at Shen Unit where I further developed my scientific interests. After this, I decided to join OIST and after my rotations I joined the unit as a PhD student.  My research interests are the study of biophysical properties of biological complex fluids and their response to environmental factors. Outside work I like working out, cooking, watching anime and going to concerts.

Tamara Iakimova
I have completed my BSc and MSc in Lomonosov MSU, Russia, in material science department, with my research work mainly focused on liposomal drug delivery systems. During my internship at OIST I was impressed a lot by a versatile research options and international community, and I am really grateful for being here as a graduate student now. My first project in Shen Unit was on the 3D-printed surface imprinted polymers as biosensors for bacteria, and now I’m interested in organ-on-a-chip systems for my PhD project. Besides the research I love exploring this beautiful tropical island and gorgeous Japan, as well as enjoying TV shows, movies, embroidery and well written books in English and Russian.

Teresa Bosch Tamayo
I am Spanish-Mexican, but I lived all my life in the Netherlands while following French education from elementary to high school (simple as that!). I have a BSc and MSc in Molecular Life Sciences from Wageningen University & Research, where I specialized in Physical Chemistry. I have previously worked on nanoparticle-based delivery systems for transient gene transfection in plant cells. I have first joined the Micro/Bio/Nanofluidics (Shen) unit for a rotation, where I helped in the chemical characterization of biological complex fluids. For my PhD at Shen unit, I will focus on developing novel polymer-based recognition materials for biosensing applications. Outside of research, you can find me drawing, going snorkeling, or compulsively buying too many plants.

Alexandra Berenice Barbosa Gonzalez
I’m from Mexico City and I recently completed a BSc degree in engineering with a concentration in mechanical engineering and a BSc in Physics from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, USA. As an undergraduate, I investigated frequency coupling in restricted pulsatile flow modeled after aortic stenosis. At OIST, I am eager to grow my interest in fluid dynamics by investigating the properties of elastoviscoplastic fluids in different geometries of microfluidics channels. Outside of research, I am passionate about climbing and playing basketball. I am excited to explore the beautiful island of Okinawa.

Kohei Abe (JSPS Postdoc Fellow)
In 2022, I completed my Ph. D degree in Engineering at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology under supervision of Prof. Susumu Inasawa. After that I belonged to the same university as a postdoc researcher for one year, including 8-month visiting in Nottingham Trent University (UK) hosted by Prof. Lucas Goehring. In April 2023, I joined Micro/Bio/Nanofluidic Unit in OIST as a research fellow. I have been working on drying kinetics of suspension or emulsion, which is accompanied by alignment, compression and deformation of particles or droplets. In this unit, I intend to work on new project relating to unstable flow or rheology as well as develop my original research area. I believe that my staying in OIST is a great opportunity for me to realize it. I was born in Hokkaido, the north island in Japan, and was originally brought up there for 19 years. I could not have imagined that I went across from north to south in Japan. I am looking forward to visiting a lot of good places in Okinawa!

Yuto Yokoyama (JSPS Postdoc Fellow)
I'm originally from Sendai, Japan. In March 2024, I completed my Ph.D. in the Department of Mechanical Systems Engineering at the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT) under the supervision of Prof. Yoshiyuki Tagawa. During my Ph.D., I focused on droplet impact and studied the stress field in the elastic substrate when a droplet impacts. Besides this project, I also worked on the flow birefringence of nanocrystals in a flow channel. In April 2024, I joined the Micro/Bio/Nanofluids Unit at OIST as a JSPS postdoc researcher, aiming to understand complex fluids’ flow birefringence behavior. My hobbies, besides research, are drinking, running, cooking, and going to the park and museum. I’m looking forward to doing them in Okinawa:)

Gesine Hentschel
I obtained my Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering and my Master's degree in Biomedical Engineering from Leibniz University in Hannover, Germany. Afterwards, I started my PhD in August 2021 under the supervision of Prof. Birgit Glasmacher. My principal research area is the development of artificial blood substitutes, with a particular focus on erythrocytes, which possess adaptable mechanical and rheological properties. I have joined Prof. Amy Shens' Unit with the exciting aim of understanding and improving the flow behaviour of these artificial red blood cells in confined environments under different flow conditions. Outside the laboratory, I am passionate about hiking, cycling and yoga. I am looking forward to explore Okinawas beautiful nature.

Miya Christina Klein
I am from Portland, Oregon and I recently completed a BSc degree in Mechanical Engineering from Oregon State University. I was eager to join Prof. Amy Shen’s Unit to explore the intersection of healthcare applications using bio/nano-technology. I have longed to use my engineering background to aid the medical field in some way, shape, or form and this internship provides me with this exact opportunity. While in Okinawa, I would like to explore the island and submerge myself in the language and culture. I am thankful to be here and am excited about all the opportunities I will experience.

Robin Ralf Benedix
I completed my BSc and MSc in Chemistry at the University of Stuttgart (Germany). During my studies I focused on material and colloidal chemistry/physics. Since 2023, I am doing my PhD at the Institute of Physical Chemistry at the University of Stuttgart and the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, researching gelatin-based porous hydrogels for controlled drug release. One of the most crucial parts of this project is the manufacturing of porous hydrogels via microfluidic techniques. I am grateful to be able to deepen my understanding of microfluidics in the unit of Prof Amy Shen at the OIST. Besides my educational ambitions, I am looking forward to exploring the rich culture and beautiful nature of Okinawa!

Hiromu Josha
I am originally from the heart of Tokyo, and I got my bachelor’s in sociology in Canada. I am super grateful to work under Prof. Amy Shen and be part of such a diverse unit. Outside work, I love dancing classical ballet, working out, Pilates, scuba diving etc!