Bahareh Behkam
- John R. Jones III Faculty Fellow
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Location:
239 Kelly Hall325 Stanger Street
Blacksburg, VA 24061
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Research Interests
Dr. Behkam’s research expertise is in micro- and nanoscale systems engineering, with a focus on biomedical and environmental applications. Her lab’s current research interests include:
- Bio-hybrid microrobotic systems for cancer therapy
- Engineered living materials for biosensing
- Mechanobiology of microbial infection
- Microbial adhesion
- Mammalian cell migration in multi-cue environments
In the news
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Researchers secure $2 million grant to develop airborne pathogen-monitoring technology , articleWith the funding, Bahareh Behkam and her team will use the funding to develop engineered living systems for indoor air monitoring.
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Bahareh Bekham recognized as an emerging leader in biological engineering , articleBahareh Behkam, associate professor and John R. Jones III Faculty Fellow in Mechanical Engineering, has been recognized as an emerging leader in biological engineering by a peer-reviewed journal.
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Pushing boundaries , articleAn interdisciplinary team of three Virginia Tech faculty members affiliated with the Macromolecules Innovation Institute has created a drug delivery system that could radically expand cancer treatment options.
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Behkam featured in Advanced Science News story on cancer therapy , articleIn the lab of Bahareh Behkam, a team of researchers have created a bacterial robot platform capable of thriving in low-oxygen condition, able to target cancer cells.
For an up-to-date list of publications, see Dr. Behkam’s Google Scholar profile.
- 2024-present, Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, Virginia Tech
- 2024-present, Affiliate Faculty, Biological Systems Engineering Department, Virginia Tech
- 2022-present, Member, Center for Soft Matter and Biological Physics
- 2020-present, J.R. Jones III Faculty Fellow, Mechanical Engineering Department, Virginia Tech
- 2018-present, Member, Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center
- 2015-present, Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, Virginia Tech
- 2009-present, Affiliate Faculty, Macromolecules Innovation Institute, Virginia Tech
- 2009-present, Affiliate Faculty, School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences, Virginia Tech
- 2015-2024, Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, Virginia Tech
- 2008-2015, Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, Virginia Tech
- 2008, Postdoctoral Research Scholar, NanoRobotics Laboratory, Carnegie Mellon University
- 1999-2001, Research Engineer, Iran Center for Industrial Research and Development, Tehran, Iran
- 2026, Visiting Faculty, Fibrobesity Visitor Programme, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- 2025-2030, Innovative Research and Ethical Impact Fellow, Virginia Tech,
- 2024, By Example University Award, Virginia Tech Innovation & Partnerships team
- 2023, Emerging Leaders in Biological Engineering, Journal of Biological Engineering
- 2021, Favorite Faculty Award (student-nominated), Virginia Tech
- 2021, Second Place SB3C Ph.D. Student Mechanobiology and Musculoskeletal Tissue Engineering Competition, Faculty Advisor
- 2020, John R. Jones III Faculty Fellow, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech
- 2020, IMECE-NSF Top Experimental Approach Award
- 2020, Third Place IMECE Overall NSF Research Award
- 2019, Second Place SB3C PhD Student Cellular Mechanics, Drug Delivery, and Therapeutics Competition, Faculty Advisor
- 2018, Best Conference Paper Award, International Conference on Manipulation, Automation, and Robotics at Small Scales
- 2016, Virginia Tech National Distinction Recognition
- 2015, Virginia Tech Office of the Vice President of Research Scholar of the Week
- 2015, National Science Foundation CAREER Award.
- 2014, Selection to the National Academies Keck Frontiers Initiative Conference
- 2014, Best Poster Award, ASME Global Congress on NanoEngineering for Medicine and Biology
- 2013, Aline Inc. Best Paper Award, ASME Global Congress on NanoEngineering for Medicine and Biology
- 2012, Outstanding New Assistant Professor Award, College of Engineering, Virginia Tech
- 2012, Peeble Award for Best Paper, Adhesion Society Meeting
- 2010, Sigma-Xi Research Award, Faculty Advisor
- 2004, Dowd-ICES Doctoral Fellowship, Carnegie Mellon University
- Ph.D. - Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, 2008
- M.S. - Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon Univesity, 2003
- B.S. - Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, 1999