Ayusman Sen

About

Ayusman Sen is the Verne M. Willaman Professor of Chemistry and a Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at Pennsylvania State University. His research focuses on the development of self-powered nano and micromotors and pumps, aiming to create dynamic, multifunctional, and highly responsive materials that can remodel themselves and transform their environment. His work emphasizes the design of rationally-engineered dynamic materials capable of minimizing waste, improving performance, and performing collective tasks through emergent behaviors similar to biological systems. Sen's approach leverages chemical control at the molecular level, biomimetic catalytic energy harvesting, rapid and reversible assembly processes, and communication capabilities inspired by microorganisms. His goal is to establish a new paradigm for molecular-level engineering of functional materials that are entirely synthetic and capable of autonomous operation, sensing, and environmental response. His contributions have advanced the understanding of chemically propelled molecules and machines, enzyme-driven motion, and active colloids, positioning him as a leading figure in the field of dynamic and intelligent material systems.

Research topics

• Nanotechnology
• Materials science
• Thermodynamics
• Chemistry
• Chemical physics
• Biochemical engineering
• Biology
• Physics
• Engineering
• Composite material

Selected publications

• Enzymes as Active Matter

  Annual Review of Condensed Matter Physics · 2020 · 75 citations

  Senior authorCorresponding

  Nature has designed multifaceted cellular structures to support life. Cells contain a vast array of enzymes that collectively perform essential tasks by harnessing energy from chemical reactions. Despite the complexity, intra- and intercellular motility at low Reynolds numbers remain the epicenter of life. In the past decade, detailed investigations on enzymes that are freely dispersed in solution have revealed concentration-dependent enhanced diffusion and chemotactic behavior during catalysis.…

  DOI

• Technology Roadmap of Micro/Nanorobots

  ACS Nano · 2025-06-27 · 68 citations

  reviewOpen access

  , the field of micro/nanorobots has evolved from science fiction to reality, with significant advancements in biomedical and environmental applications. Despite the rapid progress, the deployment of functional micro/nanorobots remains limited. This review of the technology roadmap identifies key challenges hindering their widespread use, focusing on propulsion mechanisms, fundamental theoretical aspects, collective behavior, material design, and embodied intelligence. We explore the current stat…

  PublisherDOI

• Chemical design of self-propelled Janus droplets

  Matter · 2022 · 65 citations

  DOI

• Chemically Powered Synthetic “Living” Systems

  Chem · 2020 · 50 citations

  Senior authorCorresponding
  DOI

• A roadmap for next-generation nanomotors

  Nature Nanotechnology · 2025-08-01 · 26 citations

  reviewOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• NIRT: Nanoscale Motors Powered by Catalytic Reactions

  NSF · $1.0M · 2005–2009

Frequent coauthors

• Arthur C. Reber

  Virginia Commonwealth University

  53 shared

• Thomas E. Mallouk

  47 shared

• Shiv N. Khanna

  45 shared

• Meichun Qian

  Virginia Commonwealth University

  42 shared

• Paul S. Weiss

  California NanoSystems Institute

  38 shared

• Anna C. Balazs

  University of Pittsburgh

  37 shared

• Sachin Borkar

  32 shared

• Arnold L. Rheingold

  University of California, San Diego

  29 shared

Awards & honors

• Langmuir Lecture Award, American Chemical Society
• Humboldt Prize, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
• Elected Fellow, Royal Society of Chemistry
• Medal, Chemical Research Society of India (CRSI)
• Elected Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of…

Similar researchers at Pennsylvania State University

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