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Laboratory of Biological and
Bio-inspired Materials
Materials Science and Engineering
@ University of Pennsylvania
2016.08 - NEW POSITION
Ling will start his tenure-track faculty position at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech in Jan 2017. Ling's lab at VT is aimed to address the fundamental and applied challenges in the design, fabrication and characterization of bio-inspired multifunctional structural materials. We seek energetic undergraduate and graduate students to join our team. We are very excited about understanding biological materials systems and translating to engineering analogs. If you are passionate about mechanical behavior of materials, curious about how strong seashells are, eager to develop new mechanical models and fabrication methodologies, we would be happy to work with you! Please send me an email (lingli@seas.harvard.edu) if you are planning to study at VT and interested in working with our team!
2016.06.29 - CONFERENCE
Together with Dr. Mason Dean, Prof. Al Crosby, and Prof. Duncan Irschick, Ling participated the organization of a special symposium "Interdisciplinary and evolutionary approaches to vertebrate biological materials" at the International Congress of Vertebrate Morphology (Washington DC, 29 June - 3 July). Al and Ling also gave a talk together on the topic of "Bio-inspired design and mechanical characterization: a case for soft/flexible systems and living tissues". Special thanks to Mason and all the invited participant for making such a great and successful symposium!
2016.05.10 - AWARD
Ling won the Advanced Photon Source Users Organization (APSUO) 2016 Rosalind Franklin Young Investigator Award. Ling also gave an invited presentation at the 2016 APS/CNM Users Meeting, and the title of the talk is "Biological and Bio-inspired Multifunctional Structural Materials". Special thanks to the APS User Committee and the meeting organizers! More information about the award can be found here.
2015.12.06 - CONFERENCE
Ling gave a talk at the 6th International Conference on Mechanics of Biomaterials and Tissues (Waikoloa, Hawaii). The title of the talk is "On the intrinsic mechanical properties of biogenic calcite". Great time to catch up with lots of friends and learn!
2015.12.06 - CONFERENCE
Ling gave a talk at the 6th International Conference on Mechanics of Biomaterials and Tissues (Waikoloa, Hawaii). The title of the talk is "On the intrinsic mechanical properties of biogenic calcite". Great time to catch up with lots of friends and learn!
2015.11.20 - PRESS
Our work on the multifunctional design of chiton's biomineralized protective material system has been highlighted by Science YouTube Channel.
2015.11.30 - PRESS: APS Front Page
Two of our recent work, i.e., tough transparent bioceramic materials and multifunctional protective structures in chiton's armor plates, are highlighted on the front page of Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory (Link 1 and 2). Both work invovled the utilization of the high-resolution synchrotron micro-computed tomography facility at APS. We really appreciate their technical assistance and look forward to continuous collaborations in future.
2015.11.20 - PRESS
Our work on the multifunctional design of chiton's biomineralized protective material system has been reported by many media reports worldwide.
MIT News: Armor plating with built-in transparent ceramic eyes
The Atlantic: This animal has a suit of armor with hundreds of built-in eyes
Science News: How to see with eyes made of rock
UPI: Study details mollusk with eyes built into its shell
Harvard SEAS News: Creating a new vision for multifunctional materials
Nature World News: Chiton mollusks can see with eyes in their shells
Yahoo News: Weird sea mollusk sports hundreds of eyes made of armor
2015.11.20 - PRESS: MIT Main Page
Our work on the multifunctional design of chiton's biomineralized protective material system is featured on MIT main page. The picture on the left include Assistant Professor Mathias Kolle (left), Professor Christine Ortiz (middle) and me (right).
2015.11.20 - PUBLICATION
Our work on the optical and mechanical design of the mineralized eyes found in the armor plates of chitons was published in Science. This work is highlighted by an In-Depth Article and also featured as the Cover in the same issue.
2015.10 - POSTER CONTEST
Ling won the third place in the poster contest organized by Cener for Nanoscale Systems at Harvard University. The title of the poster is "3D Nanoscopic Architecture and Formation Mechanisms of a Biomineralized Photonic System".
2015.10 - OUTREACH
I gave an invited class to arts and design college students at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. I taught the students some basic but important mechanical concepts and showed the students a variety of mechanical designs of biological materials. The students had a great fun playing with different biological specimens and some bio-inspired designs as well.
2015.09 - INVITED TALK
Ling gave an invited talk at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Temple University. The title of this talk is "Biological and Bio-inspired Multifunctional Materials". Ling also had great discussion with Prof. Mohammad F. Kiani, Prof. Shengqiang Ren, Prof. Fei Ren and Prof. Haijun Liu in the Department. Thanks so much for the kind invitation, Prof. Jie Yin!
2015.08- INVITED TALK
Ling gave an invited talk at the 4th Emerging Information and Technology Association (EITA) Young Investigator Conference. The title of the talk is "Biological and Bio-inspired Transparent Structural Materials". Thanks so much for the kind invitation from the conference committee.
2015.05 - JOURNAL COVER
Our work on the macroscopic deformation mechanisms in the mollusk shell of Placuna placenta has been accepted to Advanced Functional Materials! This work is also featured in the journal front cover!
2015.02 - PRESS
Our work on the optical and structural design of the mineralized photonic structure in the blue-rayed limpet has been reported by many media reports worldwide.
MIT News: A mollusk of a different stripe
Harvard SEAS: Seeking structural color, engineers find it glinting in the sea
BetaBoston: What's in a mollusk? Maybe the secret to a new generation of screens.
ScienceNews: Snail shell creates blue iridescence with mineral
Nature World News: Mollusk's brilliant blue stripe could inspire transparent displays
Optics & Photonics: Translucent mollusk shell could inspire transparent displays
China Topix: Brilliant blue stripes in limpet shells reveal secret to augmented reality
UPI: Scientists explain blue stripes on tiny, near-invisible mollusk
The Independent: Tiny mollusc on beach could hold key to augmented reality
Ceramics.ORG: I'm blue da ba dee: Striped mollusks hide unique photonic structures
2015.02.26 - PUBLICATION
Our work on the structural and optical design for the photonic structure in the blue-rayed limpet is featured on Nature Communications.
2015.02.26 - PUBLICATION
Our work on the structural and optical design for the photonic structure in the blue-rayed limpet is published on Nature Communications.
2015.02.26
Ling is going to give a presentation in 8th International Conference on Materials for Advanced Technologies of the Materials Research Society of Singapore and 16th IUMRS-Interntational Conference in Asia (ICMAT2015 & IUMRS-ICA2015).
2015.02.18
Our image on the nanoscale structure of the biological ceramic composite from the shell of Clio pyramidata is featured on Nature Communications.
2015.02.18
Our work on the structural design for fracture resistance in the shell of sea butterfly, Clio pyramidata, is published on Nature Communications.
2015.01
Ling is invited to give a talk at the 4th Emerging Information and Technology Association (EITA) Young Investigator Conference (August, 2015). Thanks so much for the kind invitation from the conference committee.
2015.01
Our work has been recognized as the "Best of 2014", MIT.
2014.12
I presented a poster at 2015 MRS Fall Meeting. The title of the poster is "Multifunctional Design of a Biomineralized Armor with an Integrated Visual System".
2014.08
I participated the Gordon Conference on Biomineralization and presented a poster. The title of the poster is "Hierarchical Structural Design for Fracture Resistance in the Shell of a Pteropod Clio pyramidata".
2014.06
I joined Prof. Aizenberg's lab at Harvard University as a post-doctoral fellow.
2014.05
My wife, Miao, and I participated the MIT commencement. Our 23-day old daughter, Iris, also "witnessed" the exciting moment!
2014.05
I succesfully defended my thesis! The title of my thesis is "Biomineralized structural materials with functional optical properties". See the most important image of the entire presentation in the middle bottom photo below. Huge thanks to my thesis advisor, Prof. Christine Ortiz, my thesis committee, Prof. Mary Boyce and Silvija Gradecak, my mentor and collaborator, Prof. Mathias Kolle! Thanks to my friends and colleagues! Thanks to my family for their support!
2014.04
Our Nature Materials work has been reported by more than 100 media reports worldwide.
NewScientist: Battle-hardened oyster may help toughen combat shields
Yahoo: Seashell armor could offer transparent protection for troops
Fox News: Seashell armor could offer transparent protection for troops
PhysicsWorld: Scientists crack oyster’s secret of strength
ChemistryWorld: A window into oysters’ armour
C&EN: The secret strength of mollusk shell
LiveScience: Seashell armor could offer transparent protection for troops
Discovery News: Transparent armor inspired by oyster shell
MIT News: Tough as nails, yet clear enough to read through
PHYS.ORG: Study uncovers secrets of a mollusk’s unique bioceramic armor
ScienceDaily: Secrets of a mollusk’s unique bioceramic armor
NBC News: How oyster shells could help protect troops in the battlefield
2014.04
Our Nature Materials work is highlighted by an article by Prof. Robert Ritchie in Nature Materials.
2014.04
Our work on the nanoscale deformation mechanism in a bioceramic material system is published in Nature Materials.
2013.12
I presented an invited talk at MRS Fall meeting. The title of the talk is "Nanoscale origins for the enhanced energy dissipation in a natural bioceramic armor".
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