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About

Caroline Cvetkovic is a pioneering biomedical engineer whose research sits at the fascinating intersection of tissue engineering, soft robotics, and biohybrid systems. She is best known for her groundbreaking work on biological machines — living, muscle-powered robots fabricated using 3D printing techniques and engineered skeletal muscle tissue. Her landmark 2014 paper, "Three-dimensionally printed biological machines powered by skeletal muscle," garnered over 439 citations and established her as a leading voice in the emerging field of biohybrid robotics, demonstrating that living cells could be integrated with soft scaffolds to create controllable, force-generating machines. Cvetkovic has significantly advanced the design principles governing these systems, exploring how scaffold geometry and cellular constructs can produce faster, stronger bioactuators, while also investigating critical practical challenges such as proteolytic degradation, self-healing capacity through optogenetics, and long-term cryopreservation of engineered muscle tissue. Her work bridges fundamental biology with real-world applications in regenerative medicine, drug testing, and organ-on-a-chip platforms. Beyond research, Cvetkovic has demonstrated a commitment to education, developing innovative interdisciplinary courses in soft robotics and medical device design. Her cumulative body of work reflects a researcher dedicated to building the future of living machines, one engineered muscle fiber at a time.