The research team led by Anne Staples, associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, is the cover feature for the March 2025 edition of Nature Reviews Physics. Lead author of the review is PhD student Saadbin Khan. The piece includes contributions from the research group of Jake Socha, the Samuel Herrick Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

The review advances the understanding of insect respiratory biomechanics, synthesizing current research and offering insights into its broader implications. This is impactful not only for the field of biology but also for applications in bioengineering, biomimetics, ecological conservation, and other applied sciences. Innovations in the movement of fluids at the smallest scale can find valuable inspiration from insects, which provide rich models for bioinspired technologies.

Staples’ team has focused on modeling the unique mechanisms insects use for transporting oxygen to their cells. Unlike mammals, which use blood to transport oxygen to cells, insects bypass this step. The delivery of oxygen in creatures such as ground beetles occurs directly through tracheal tubes, which are part of their breathing system. This unique method is highly energy-efficient and contributes to insects’ exceptional metabolic range.

“Our team is intrigued by the ability of insects to flexibly and efficiently deliver nutrients throughout their bodies," Staples said. "We aimed to summarize the existing literature for researchers entering this subfield of bioinspired engineering, a rapidly expanding area of study. Moving fluids through microscale spaces is a crucial component of technologies such as tissue engineering, proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells, and liquid drug infusion. The mechanisms that insects use, as outlined in this review, could help bring innovations in those fields closer to reality.”

This work is part of Staples’ ongoing research portfolio in microfluidics, which was recognized in 2024 with a Trailblazer Award from the National Institutes of Health.