Gao Research Group @ Caltech - Home Gao Research Group @ Caltech Home Members Research Publications News Awards Gallery Welcome to the Gao Research Group at Caltech! The Gao Research Group at the California Institute of Technology is a highly interdisciplinary research team devoted to developing versatile bioelectronic devices for fundamental and applied biomedical studies. Our research thrusts include fundamental materials and chemistry innovations as well as important device and system level applications toward personalized and precision medicine. We create and apply innovative devices to understand complex biological systems. Some examples of our devices include wearable/portable biosensors that perform real-time health monitoring and clinical assessment, and medical micro/nanorobots that offer the therapeutic capability of rapid drug delivery and precision surgery. Watch Wei's Watson Lecture on Wearable Biosensors Follow us via LinkedIn and X @WeiGaoLab Lab Openings We always welcome talented postdoctoral and graduate candidates. Caltech graduate students from any related program (including MedE, EE, BioE, APhMS, ME, ChemE, Chem, and others) interested in research opportunities with the laboratory should contact Prof. Gao for an appointment to discuss available projects. Graduate candidates at all other universities are welcome to contact Prof. Gao and need to apply for admission to Caltech. We always welcome dedicated undergraduate researchers for research during the school year or in the summer (through SURF, WAVE and Amgen Scholars programs). Interested students are encouraged to contact Prof. Gao. Contact us Dr. Wei Gao Office: 139 Keck Laboratory Address: 1200 E California Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91125, MC 138-78 Email: [email protected] Tel: (626) 395-2958 For Research Group Matters Gabrielle Weise 135 Keck Laboratory Tel: (626) 395-4784 Email: [emailprotected] Selected publications from the Group I. Kim, D. R. Yao, S. Yin, P. T. Tran-Ngoc, J. Min, N. Ng, W. Heng, J. Li, B. Sadri, H. Sato, S. O. Kim, W. Gao*, BeetleBot: An integrated bioinspired soft robot for multimodal sensing and adaptive interaction, Science Advances, 2026, 12, eaeg8849. G. Kim, S. Cho, H. Ahn, C. Wang, H. Han, X. Ma, M.-J. Kim, J. Qu, J. Min, W. Gao*, Strain-isolated microneedles for ambulatory hormonal and metabolic monitoring, Nature Nanotechnology, 2026, 10.1038/s41565-026-02247-5. J. A. Lasalde-Ramírez, C. Won, S. Ji, S. Shin, R. M. McDonald, K. Karish, G. Kim, H. Han, D. Mukasa, B. Arianpour, Y. Song, J. Yang, T. K. Hsiai, Z. Li, T. Lee, J. R. Sempionatto, W. Gao*, Noninvasive continuous lipid profiling via cofactor-refreshing cascading enzymatic reactions and causal machine learning, Nature Sensors, 2026, 10.1038/s44460-026-00117-0. C. Xu, H. Zheng, W. Heng, R. Liu, J. MarionSims, J. Li, P. Jin, R. Y. Tay, J. Min, G. Wang, Y. Yue, W. Gao*, Human-inspired time-series health evaluation with an adaptive multimodal electronic skin, Science Advances, 2026, 12, eaeg5606. J. Li, K. Fan, X. Ma, C. Wang, J. Min, Y. Chen, Y. Song, Y. Xu, W. Gao*, Strain-insensitive wet-tissue-adhesive biphasic bioelectronics for physicochemical monitoring and adaptive therapy, Nature Materials, 2026, 10.1038/s41563-026-02624-4. Y. Xu, X. Ma, K. Fan, J. Min, J. Qu, W. Heng, J. Li, S. Tang, G. Kim, R. Liu, S. Yin, W. Li, W. Gao*, Strain-resilient intrinsically stretchable electrochemical biointerfaces, Science, 2026, 392, eaed1630. E. Davoodi and W. Gao*, Emerging materials and technologies toward in situ biomanufacturing, Nature Reviews Materials, 2026, 11, 605–620. J. Yoo, J. Joo, and W. Gao*, Bridging the barrier: Micro- and nanorobotics for active brain delivery, Matter, 2026, 9, 102858. J. Li, J. Qu, and W. Gao*, Tissue-bioelectronics interfaces, Chemical Society Review, 2026, 55, 6307–6343. R. Song, S. Cho, G. Kim, S. Shin, S. Yin, R. Liu, R. Zeng, J. Tu, Y. Xiong, I. Park, W. Gao*, Wireless, battery-free wearable optoelectronic–colorimetric microfluidic sensor for multiplex sweat analysis, Device, 2026, 4, 101107. S. Yin, D. R. Yao, I. Kim, W. Zhou, W. Heng, W. Li, S. Tang, X. Ma, Y. Xu, G. Kim, H. Han, K. Fan, C. Daraio, W. Gao*, Amphibious passive adaptation in untethered soft robots, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2026, 123, e2532988123. M.-J. Kim, J. A. Lasalde Ramírez, W. Heng, and W. Gao*, Biomolecular profiling for noninvasive health monitoring, Nature Biotechnology, 2026, 10.1038/s41587-026-03050-2. W. Heng, C. Putz, W. Tang, J. Min, L. E. Lehner, S. Demchyshyn, G. Kim, C. Wang, B. Hailegnaw, E. Rippatha, M. Scharber, M.-J. Kim, Y. Chen, Z. Fan, M. Kaltenbrunner, W. Gao*, A battery-free smart mask for long-term exhaled breath biochemical sensing, Nature Sensors, 2026, 1, 328–340. S. Tang, H. Han, X. Ma, P. N. Patel, C. Gong, J. Zhang, E. Criado-Hidalgo, J. Yoo, J. Li, G. Kim, S. Yin, D. Wu, M. G. Shapiro, Q. Zhou, W. Gao*, Enzymatic microbubble robots, Nature Nanotechnology, 2026, 21, 397-406. J. Tu, C. D. Flynn, J. Yeom, Z. Wu, S. O. Kelley, and W. Gao*, Wearable biomolecular sensing nanotechnologies in chronic disease management, Nature Nanotechnology, 2025, 20, 1388–1404. S. Shin, R. Liu, Y. Yang, J. A. Lasalde Ramírez, G. Kim, C. Won, J. Min, C. Wang, K. Fan, H. Han, C. Uwakwe, W. Heng, T. K. Hsiai, Z. Li, J. D. FitzGerald, and W. Gao*, A bioinspired microfluidic wearable sensor for multi-day sweat sampling, transport, and metabolic analysis, Science Advances, 2025, 11, eadw9024. J. Tu, J. Yeom, J. Chaj Ulloa, S. A. Solomon, J. Min, W. Heng, G. Kim, J. Dao, R. Vemu, M. Pang, D.-H. Kim, and W. Gao*, Stressomic: A wearable microfluidic biosensor for dynamic profiling of multiple stress hormones in sweat, Science Advances, 2025, 11, eadx6491. Y. Choi, P. Jin, S. Lee, Y. Song, R. Y. Tay, G. Kim, J. Yoo, H. Han, J. Yeom, J. H. Cho, D.-H. Kim, W. Gao*, All-printed chip-less wearable neuromorphic system for multimodal physiochemical health monitoring, Nature Communications, 2025, 16, 5689. J. Min, H. Ahn, H. Lukas, X. Ma, R. Bhansali, S.-H. Sunwoo, C. Wang, Y. Xu, D. R. Yao, G. Kim, Z. Li, T. K. Hsiai, A. Emami, H.-T. Jung, W. Gao*, Continuous biochemical profiling of the gastrointestinal tract using an integrated smart capsule, Nature Electronics, 2025, 8, 844–855. E. Davoodi, J. Li, X. Ma, A. H. Najafabadi, J. Yoo, G. Lu, E. Shirzaei Sani, S. Lee, H. Montazerian, G. Kim, J. Williams, J. W. Yang, Y. Zeng, L. S. Li, Z. Jin, B. Sadri, S. S. Nia, L. V. Wang, T. K. Hsiai, P. S. Weiss, Q. Zhou, A. Khademhosseini, D. Wu, M. G. Shapiro, and W. Gao*, Imaging-guided deep tissue in vivo sound printing, Science, 2025, 388, 616-623. C. Wang, K. Fan, E. Shirzaei Sani, J. A. Lasalde-Ramírez, W. Heng, J. Min, S. A. Solomon, M. Wang, J. Li, H. Han, G. Kim, S. Shin, A. Seder, C.-D. Shih, D. G. Armstrong, W. Gao*, A microfluidic wearable device for wound exudate management and analysis in human chronic wounds, Science Translational Medicine, 2025, 17, eadt0882. H. Montazerian, E. Davoodi, C. Wang, F. Lorestani, J. Li, R. Haghniaz, R. R. Sampath, N. Mohaghegh, S. Khosravi, F. Zehtabi, Y. Zhao, N. Hosseinzadeh, T. Liu, T. K. Hsiai, A. H. Najafabadi, R. S. Langer, D. G. Anderson, P. S. Weiss, A. Khademhosseini, W. Gao*, Boosting hydrogel conductivity via water dispersible conducting polymers for injectable bioelectronics, Nature Communications, 2025, 16, 3755. M. Wang, C. Ye, Y. Yang, D. Mukasa, C. Wang, C. Xu, J. Min, S. A. Solomon, J. Tu, G. Shen, S. Tang, T. K. Hsiai, Z. Li, J. S. McCune, W. Gao*, Printable molecule-selective core-shell nanoparticles for wearable and implantable sensing, Nature Materials, 2025, 24, 589–598. Y. Lee, W. Gao*, Non-invasive hormone monitoring with a wearable sweat biosensor, Nature Reviews Bioengineering, 2025, 3, 190-191. R. Song, S. Cho, S. Khan, I. Park, W. Gao*, Lighting the path to precision healthcare: Advances and applications of wearable photonic sensors, Advanced Materials, 2025, 37, 2419161. H. Han, X. Ma, W. Deng, J. Zhang, S. Tang, O S. Pak, L. Zhu, E. Criado-Hidalgo, C. Gong, E. Karshalev, J. Yoo, M. You, A. Liu, C. Wang, H. K. Shen, Payal N. Patel, C. L. Hays, P. J. Gunnarson, L. Li, Y. Zhang, J. O. Dabiri, L. V. Wang, M. G. Shapiro, D. Wu, Q. Zhou, J. R. Greer, W. Gao*, Imaging-guided bioresorbable acoustic hydrogel microrobots, Science Robotics, 2024, 9, eadp3593. S. Yin, D. R. Yao, Y. Song, W. Heng, X. Ma, H. Han, W. Gao*, Wearable and implantable soft robots, Chemical Reviews, 2024, 124, 11585-11636. W. Heng, D. R. Yao, W. Gao*, Miniaturized soft batteries for biomedical implants, Nature Chemical Engineering, 2024, 1, 675-677. W. Heng, S. Yin, J. Min, C. Wang, H. Han, E. Shirzaei Sani, J. Li, Y. Song, H. B. Rossiter, W. Gao*, A smart mask for exhaled breath condensate harvesting and analysis, Science, 2024, 385, 954-961. C. Ye, H. Lukas, M. Wang, Y. Lee, W. Gao*, Nucleic acid-based wearable and implantable electrochemical sensors, Chemical Society Reviews, 2024, 53, 7960-7982. C. Wang, E. Shirzaei Sani, C.-D. Shih, C. T. Lim, J. Wang, David G. Armstrong, W. Gao*, Wound management materials and technologies from bench to bedside and beyond, Nature Reviews Materials, 2024, 9, 550-566. J. Li, Y. Xu, W. Gao*, Injectable and retrievable soft electronics, Nature Materials, 2024, 23, 591-593. D. R. Yao, I. Kim, S. Yin, W. Gao*, Multimodal soft robotic actuation and locomotion, Advanced Materials, 2024, 36, 2308829. C. Xu, Y. Song, J. R. Sempionatto, S. A. Solomon, Y. Yu, H. Y. Y. Nyein, R. Y. Tay, J. Li, W. Heng, J. Min, A. Lao, T. K. Hsiai, J. A. Sumner, W. Gao*, A physicochemical sensing electronic skin for stress response monitoring, Nature Electronics, 2024, 7, 168-179. C. Ye, M. Wang, J. Min, R. Y. Tay, H. Lukas, J. R. Sempionatto, J. Li, C. Xu, W. Gao*, A wearable aptamer nanobiosensor for non-invasive female hormone monitoring, Nature Nanotechnology, 2024, 19, 330-337. C. Xu, S. A. Solomon, W. Gao*, Artificial intelligence-powered electronic skin, Nature Machine Intelligence, 2023, 5, 1344-1355. R. Y. Tay, Y. Song, D. Yao, W. Gao*, Direct-ink-writing 3D-printed bioelectronics, Materials Today, 2023, 71, 135-151. Y. Song, R. Y. Tay, J. Li, C. Xu, J. Min, E. Shirzaei Sani, G. Kim, W. Heng, I. Kim, W. Gao*, 3D-printed epifluidic electronic skin for machine learning-powered multimodal health surveillance, Science Advances, 2023, 9, eadi6492. J. Min, S. Demchyshyn, J. R. Sempionatto, Y. Song, B. Hailegnaw, C. Xu, Y. Yang, S. Solomon, C. Putz, L. Lehner, J. F. Schwarz, C. Schwarzinger, M. Scharber, M. Kaltenbrunner, W. Gao*, An autonomous wearable biosensor powered by a perovskite solar cell, Nature Electronics, 2023, 6, 630-641. J. Tu, J. Min, Y. Song, C. Xu, J. Li, J. Moore, J. Hanson, E. Hu, T. Parimon, T.-Y. Wang, E. Davoodi, T.-F. Chou, P. Chen, J. J. Hsu, H. B. Rossiter, W. Gao*, A wireless patch for the monitoring of C-reactive protein in sweat, Nature Biomedical Engineering, 2023, 7, 1293-1306. D. Mukasa, M. Wang, J. Min, Y. Yang, S. A. Solomon, H. Han, C. Ye, W. Gao*, A Computationally Assisted Approach for Designing Wearable Biosensors toward Non-invasive Personalized Molecular Analysis, Advanced Materials, 2023, 35, 2212161. J. Min, J. Tu, C. Xu, H. Lukas, S. Shin, Y. Yang, S. A. Solomon, D. Mukasa, W. Gao*, Skin-Interfaced Wearable Sweat Sensors for Precision Medicine, Chemical Reviews, 2023, 123, 5049–5138. E. Shirzaei Sani, C. Xu, C. Wang, Y. Song, J. Min, J. Tu, S. A. Solomon, J. Li, J. L. Banks, D. G. Armstrong, W. Gao*, A stretchable wireless wearable bioelectronic system for multiplexed monitoring and combination treatment of infected chronic wounds, Science Advances, 2023, 9, eadf7388. J. Yoo, S. Tang, W. Gao*, Micro- and nanorobots for biomedical applications in the brain, Nature Reviews Bioengineering, 2023, 1, 308–310. J. R. Sempionatto, J. A. Lasalde-Ramírez, K. Mahato, J. Wang, W. Gao*, Wearable chemical sensors for biomarker discovery in the omics e…