Leo Q. Wan

Dr. Leo Q. Wan is an associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY. His research focuses on understanding physical biology in tissue development and regeneration and includes Tissue Morphogenesis, Stem Cell Mechanobiology, and Functional Tissue Engineering. He is a pioneer in cell chirality research with bioengineering platforms. His lecture titled “Why are human bodies asymmetrical?”, collaborated with TED-Ed, has over 1 million views. Dr. Wan received his Bachelor’s degree in Mechanics and Mechanical Engineering and his Master's degree in Fluid Mechanics from the University of Science and Technology of China. After completing his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering at Columbia University in 2007, he became a postdoctoral scientist in the area of Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering. Leo is a Pew scholar (Class 2013), and a recipient of the NIH Director’s New Innovator Award, National Science Foundation Early Career Award, American Heart Association Scientist Development Grant, and the March of Dimes Basil O’Connor Starter Scholar Research Award. He is a fellow of the American Heart Association (FAHA).