Yong‐Ak Song

New York University Abu Dhabi, University of Hong Kong

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About

Yong‐Ak Song is a pioneering researcher in bioinspired interfacial mechanics and microfluidic technologies, with a focus on understanding and replicating nature’s most elegant solutions for adhesion and release. His most cited work, “Biomimicking interfacial fracture behavior of lizard tail autotomy with soft microinterlocking structures” (2022, 10 citations), reveals how microscale interlocking geometries in biological interfaces can be rapidly released on demand—a principle directly inspired by lizard tail detachment. This breakthrough offers a new paradigm for designing smart, reversible adhesives and flexible connections. Song also made significant contributions to microfluidics, developing a chip-based system for the precise trapping and automated dispensing of single *C. elegans* worms (2016, 4 citations), enabling high-throughput studies in genetics and development. Earlier in his career, he advanced rapid prototyping by integrating layer-based algorithms with robotic machining (2000, 2 citations), addressing scalability challenges in additive manufacturing. With a career spanning bioinspired materials, microfluidics, and manufacturing, Song’s work demonstrates how fundamental biological principles can drive innovation in engineering and biomedical research.