Morteza Gharib, Hans W. Liepmann Professor of Aeronautics and Professor of Bioinspired Engineering, has been elected as Fellow of the International Academy of Medical and Biological Engineering. Fellows are selected because they have made identifiable contributions to the theory or practice of medical and biological engineering, and have demonstrated unusual accomplishment in promoting the field of medical and biological engineering. [Forbes article on Prof. Gharib's research] 2-10-12

Morteza Gharib, Hans W. Liepmann Professor of Aeronautics and Professor of Bioinspired Engineering, and colleagues are studying the properties of the zebrafish embryonic heart to address problems as diverse as ringing in the ears and overheated electronics. They have also developed the first pump built entirely from biological building blocks. “We can actually be more clever than nature,” Gharib says. “We can get inspired by nature and use engineering to come up with better functions. Just look at 747s—they fly from LAX to La Guardia much more efficiently than any bird could.” [E&S Article] 1-4-12

Morteza Gharib, Hans W. Liepmann Professor of Aeronautics and Professor of Bio-Inspired Engineering, is the new Vice Provost with a special focus on research. Professor Gharib has made contributions to a wide array of research topics ranging from the fundamental analysis of biological flows, to the development of bio-inspired medical devices, to advanced flow visualization techniques. One of his more unusual studies was his work with a SURF student several years ago where they raised a 30000-pound obelisk into place using a single kite and speculated that the ancient Egyptians may have moved the massive stones from which the pyramids were built and raised obelisks by flying them into place! His breadth, technical strength, and enthusiasm will serve him and Caltech well as he takes on the role of Vice Provost. Read More... 07.29.10

Caltech Scientists Show Function of Helical Band in Heart. Scientists from the Caltech have created images of the heart's muscular layer that show, for the first time, the connection between the configuration of those muscles and the way the human heart contracts.. Read more... 12-01-08

Caltech Invention Earns R&D 100 Award. Making the list this year was work conceived by Morteza Gharib and his team, including Emilio Graff (PhD '07) and postdoctoral fellow Francisco Pereira. The team designed a three-dimensional camera with a vast array of possibilities, ranging from 3-D movement tracking for rehabilitation to underwater surveillance. Read more... 09-02-08

An engineer comparing the human adult heart and the embryo heart might never guess that the former developed from the latter. But new results from Gharib's Group published in Science show that the embryonic vertebrate heart tube is a dynamic suction pump. Blood flows through it by a dynamic suction action (similar to the action of the mature left ventricle) that arises from wave motions in the tube. Read more... 05-04-06

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