When
Monday, April 20, 2026, at 12:00 p.m.
Vaskar Gnyawali
"Microfluidics: A Practical Tool"
Keating 103 | Zoom link
Hosts: Swarna Ganesh and Kellen Chen
Abstract: Microfluidics has evolved into a practical platform for high-throughput biomedical experimentation. This seminar introduces key microscale fluid dynamics and their role in enabling miniaturized, parallelized biological assays.
The talk will highlight droplet microfluidics, where picoliter to nanoliter scale droplets act as independent microreactors, enabling millions of parallel reactions and surpassing the limitations of traditional platforms.
As a case study, Gnyawali will present his work on a smart food ingredient developed using droplet microfluidics. This technology uses enzyme-encapsulated pectin microparticles to convert simple sugars into prebiotic fiber in the gastrointestinal tract, with validation in gastric conditions and human intestine-on-a-chip models.
The seminar concludes with insights on translating research into real-world impact and early-stage venture development.
Biography: Vaskar Gnyawali is a biomedical engineer, entrepreneur, and deep-tech innovator with over 13 years of interdisciplinary experience spanning computer engineering, microsystems, biomechanical engineering and synthetic biology. He most recently served as chief scientific officer and co-founder of a Boston-based biotechnology startup, where he led the development of platforms integrating chemistry, synthetic and computational biology and biochemistry.
His expertise includes lab-on-a-chip systems, droplet microfluidics and flow-based analytical technologies. During his PhD at Toronto Metropolitan University, he developed microfluidic platforms for biomedical diagnostics, while his master's work at the University of Freiburg focused on microsystems and device integration. He further advanced these technologies at the Wyss Institute at Harvard University under professor Donald Ingber, developing encapsulation systems for biologics and smart food ingredients.
Gnyawali has received several prestigious honors, including the Governor General's Gold Medal and the Doctoral Completion Award for excellence in his doctoral studies, as well as a leadership scholarship during his master's training. He has contributed to multiple high-impact publications and patents. He holds degrees from Tribhuvan University (Nepal), the University of Freiburg (Germany) and Toronto Metropolitan University (Canada).
Accessibility: Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation by contacting the Disability Resource Center at 520.621.3268 (V/TTY).