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About

Matthew J. McHenry is a leading figure in biomechanics and sensory biology, whose research illuminates the fundamental principles governing predator-prey interactions in aquatic environments. His work masterfully integrates experimental biology with robotics to decode how fish sense and respond to threats. McHenry’s most influential contribution is his discovery that larval zebrafish evade predators by sensing the bow wave of an approaching attacker, a finding published in 2014 that has garnered 92 citations and reshaped our understanding of escape behaviors. He further demonstrated that prey fish strategically alter their escape direction based on the threat’s orientation, challenging classical theory and earning 38 citations. Beyond predator-prey dynamics, McHenry has pioneered the study of helical klinotaxis in larval animals, using biorobotic models to reveal a navigational primitive shared across species. His recent work on intermittent locomotion in zebrafish pursuit predation (27 citations) and cooperative transport in sea star locomotion (2024) continues to push boundaries. With a career marked by innovative, cross-disciplinary approaches, McHenry has fundamentally advanced our knowledge of how animals move, sense, and survive in complex fluid environments.