About

Shanshan Yao is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Stony Brook University. She holds a Ph.D. from North Carolina State University obtained in 2016. Her research focuses on Nano/Micro Materials and Structures, Nano/Micro Manufacturing, Flexible and Stretchable Electronics, Soft Actuators and Robotics. Her work involves developing advanced materials and structures at the nano and micro scales, with applications in flexible electronics and soft robotics, contributing to the fields of nanomanufacturing and microfabrication.

Research topics

• Computer Science
• Electrical engineering
• Materials science
• Embedded system
• Optoelectronics
• Environmental science
• Nanotechnology
• Composite material

Selected publications

• From selection to design: Reshaping aptamer discovery with artificial intelligence

  Chemical Engineering Journal · 2026-04-30

  articleOpen access
  PublisherDOI

• Multifunctional Magnetic Droplet Robots for Urological Applications: From Drug Delivery to Stone Retrieval

  Micromachines · 2026-05-03

  articleOpen access

  Therapeutic interventions within the urinary system are often limited by the complex and tortuous anatomy of the renal pelvis and ureters, restricting access to deep regions and increasing the risk of mucosal trauma. In this study, we present a multifunctional, magnetically controlled ferrofluid droplet robotic platform engineered for high deformability and precision navigation. A custom electromagnetic actuation system was developed and optimized via COMSOL Multiphysics (version 6.3, COMSOL Inc., Stockholm, Sweden) simulations to generate programmable magnetic fields. Experimental validation in both simplified environments and anatomically realistic 3D-printed urinary tract models demonstrated the droplets’ capacity for controlled locomotion, reversible deformation, and traversing constrictions significantly smaller than their resting diameter. The droplets’ locomotion and extreme deformability are governed by the dynamic balance between the applied magnetic gradient forces, the restoring interfacial tension of the ferrofluid, and the fluidic viscous drag. Quantitatively, the droplets achieved robust translational velocities up to 260 mm/s under single-coil actuation (51 mT, 20 Hz) and 108 mm/s under a more stable dual-coil configuration (51 mT, 8.3 Hz). Furthermore, two clinically relevant functionalities were successfully executed: rapid vibration-induced release of encapsulated dye for targeted drug delivery, and the precise mechanical capture and transport of artificial kidney stones. These results establish a highly versatile platform for minimally invasive urological procedures, highlighting the immense potential of soft magnetic microrobotics for integrated therapeutic applications.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Release kinetics and bioaccessibility of heavy metal from antifouling paint particles in simulated digestive fluids: An emerging threat to marine biota

  Marine Pollution Bulletin · 2025-08-18 · 1 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Ultrasoft Porous 3D Conductive Dry Electrodes for Electrophysiological Sensing and Myoelectric Control

  UNC Libraries · 2025-07-26

  articleOpen access

  Biopotential electrodes have found broad applications in health monitoring, human-machine interactions, and rehabilitation. Here, we report the fabrication and applications of ultrasoft breathable dry electrodes that can address several challenges for their long-term wearable applications - skin compatibility, wearability, and long-term stability. The proposed electrodes rely on porous and conductive silver nanowire based nanocomposites as the robust mechanical and electrical interface. The highly conductive and conformable structure eliminates the necessity of conductive gel while establishing a sufficiently low electrode-skin impedance for high-fidelity electrophysiological sensing. The introduction of gas-permeable structures via a simple and scalable method based on sacrificial templates improves breathability and skin compatibility for applications requiring long-term skin contact. Such conformable and breathable dry electrodes allow for efficient and unobtrusive monitoring of heart, muscle, and brain activities. In addition, based on the muscle activities captured by the electrodes and a musculoskeletal model, electromyogram-based neural-machine interfaces were realized, illustrating the great potential for prosthesis control, neurorehabilitation, and virtual reality.

  PublisherDOI

• Highly sensitive and robust soft tri-axial tactile sensors enabled by dual inductive sensing mechanismss

  Soft Science · 2025-01-18 · 7 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Tri-axial tactile sensors that provide real-time information on both normal and shear forces are enabling technologies for tactile perception, which open up new possibilities in robotics, human-machine interfaces, environmental sensing, and health monitoring. Among tri-axial tactile sensors based on different mechanisms, inductive sensors possess good robustness against environmental contamination. Their low sensitivity to normal and shear loads, however, is a critical barrier. This work presents the rational design of soft inductive tri-axial tactile sensors that are capable of distinguishing static or dynamic normal and shear loads, with exceptional tactile sensitivity. Dual mechanisms of Biot-Savart law and Eddy current effect are explored to overcome the long-standing sensitivity issue. In addition, a hybrid coil with non-uniform spacing is designed to generate uniform magnetic fields, addressing the limitations of traditional uniform coils and significantly improving the sensor’s tactile sensitivity. The picosecond pulsed laser scribing technique makes it possible to pattern silver nanowires into inductive coils with high fidelity. A porous compressible layer is adopted to enable adjustable sensitivity and sensing range to meet diverse application demands. Finally, the sensor is integrated between the user’s leg and the orthosis, showcasing the sensor’s capability for real-time monitoring of tri-axial forces and its robustness against environmental objects.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Intertidal Warfare: Synergistic Allelopathy Mediates Spatial Competition between Two Marine Calcareous‐Shelled Sessile Organisms

  Advanced Science · 2025-12-07

  articleOpen access

  Chemical warfare among marine sessile organisms remains poorly understood. Chemical defense in calcareous-shelled organisms in particular has been largely neglected, yet this may be important in spatial dominance of crowded intertidal ecosystems. Using field survey data, spatial competition in intertidal zones between two calcareous-shelled sessile species are discovered, the barnacle Balanus albicostatus and the mussel Vignadula atrata. Using chemical analysis and bioassays, it is found that B. albicostatus releases chemical cues with inhibitory activity against the attachment of V. atrata. This allelochemical is identified as a blend of palmitic acid (PA) and 1-palmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (PGPC) in a synergistic and unique ratio (1:1.92). This mixture of PA and PGPC synergistically reduced byssus thread production, adhesive plaque area and adhesion force of mussel foot proteins (MFPs) in V. atrata. Further analysis showed that this mixture down-regulated expression of the genes associated with byssus formation and adhesion (PreCol-NG, MFP2, MFP11, Tyr, BPP4, and PPO) and led to a lower activity of the enzyme polyphenol oxidase essential to mussel attachment, implying an underlying mechanism by which allelochemicals inhibit mussel attachment. This underlines the importance of allelopathy in interspecies competition between calcareous-shelled sessile organisms and provides information which may be useful for developing novel biofouling control systems.

  PublisherDOI

• Targeting Drug Delivery System to Skeletal Muscles: A Comprehensive Review of Different Approaches

  Journal of Cachexia Sarcopenia and Muscle · 2025-02-01 · 11 citations

  reviewOpen access

  The skeletal muscle is one of the largest organs in the body and is responsible for the mechanical activity required for posture, movement and breathing. The effects of current pharmaceutical therapies for skeletal muscle diseases are far from satisfactory; approximately 24% of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) trials have been terminated because of unsatisfactory outcomes. The lack of a skeletal muscle-targeting strategy is a major reason for these unsuccessful trials, contributing to low efficiency and severe side effects. The development of targeting strategies for skeletal muscle-specific drug delivery has shown the potential for increasing drug concentrations in the skeletal muscle, minimising off-target effects, and thereby improving the therapeutic effects of drugs. Over the past few decades, novel methods for specifically delivering cargo to skeletal muscles have been developed. In this review, we categorise targeting methods into four types: peptides, antibodies, small molecules and aptamers. Most research has focused on peptide and antibody ligands, and there are several well-established drugs in this category; however, drawbacks such as protease degradation and immunogenicity limit their use. Aptamers and small molecules have low immunogenicity and are simple to chemically produce. However, small molecule ligands generally exhibit lower affinity because of their small size and high mobility. Aptamers are promising ligands for skeletal muscle-targeting delivery systems. Additionally, if the active site of the cargo is located inside the cell, an internalisation pathway becomes necessary. The order of internalisation ligands and targeting ligands in the complex is a crucial factor, because an inappropriate order could lead to much lower targeting and internalisation efficiencies. Moreover, ligand density also merits consideration, as increasing the density of the targeting ligands may result in steric hindrance, which could impact the accessibility of the receptor and cause enlargement of the targeted ligands. More efforts are required to optimise drug delivery systems that specifically recognise skeletal muscle, with the aim of enhancing quality of life and promoting patient well-being.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Different surface modified polystyrene nanoplastics can affect growth adaptability of Skeletonema costatum to heat stress

  npj Emerging Contaminants · 2025-08-04

  articleOpen access

  Microalgae play an essential role in maintaining the balance of the marine ecosystem, but they are often more vulnerable to global change and environmental pollution. In this study, we assessed the effects of heat stress (HS) and polystyrene nanoplastics (NPs) with different surface modifications (PS, PS-NH2, and PS-COOH) on the growth of microalgae Skeletonema costatum (S. costatum). The results indicate that elevated temperature stimulated growth in S. costatum, but NPs impaired their thermal acclimatization. Transcriptome analysis showed that NPs significantly influence the transcriptome of S. costatum under HS in a surface group-dependent manner. The microalgae support growth under elevated temperature by increasing energy production. However, NPs altered these responses, particularly in the HS + (PS-NH2) group. The study provides new insights into how microalgae respond to dual stressors of elevated temperature and NPs, highlighting the need for further research on long-term stress effects to understand microalgal adaptation mechanisms under climate change scenarios.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Synergistic optimization of ion migration and electron transfer in sodium-ion battery cathode materials

  Acta Physico-Chimica Sinica · 2025-10-27

  articleSenior authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Influence of Typically Canyon Hilly Terrain on the Spatial Wind Field of Heritage Sites: A Case Study of Xumishan Grottoes, China

  Buildings · 2025-12-17

  articleOpen access

  The canyon hilly terrain of northwestern China significantly influences wind field characteristics within the grotto zone, consequently affecting the degree of wind erosion on grotto heritage. In the present study, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) numerical simulations were employed to investigate the effects of mountain length, slope, and spacing on the wind field characteristics of a typically canyon hilly terrain, with the Xumishan Grottoes as a case study. The results show a significant wind speed acceleration at canyon entrances and summits. Variations in mountain length and slope non-linearly affect wind field distribution, with wind speeds at the side and summit stabilizing when the mountain length exceeds three times the mountain height (L ≥ 3H). Based on the simulation results, an improved acceleration ratio formula incorporating mountain length, slope, and spacing was proposed, which demonstrated a discrepancy of only 9.05% compared with the field-validated CFD results for Cave 5 at Xumishan. This study elucidates the wind field formation mechanisms in canyon hilly terrain and provides a scientific basis for addressing the stone carving erosion of grotto heritage, contributing to the advancement of preventive conservation strategies for grottoes in complex terrains.

  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• CAREER: Closing the Loop of Human-Machine Interactions via Skin-Like Multimodal Haptic Interfaces

  NSF · $500k · 2023–2028

• EAGER: Lip Reading by Unobtrusive Multimodal Sensors and Machine Learning Algorithms

  NSF · $150k · 2021–2023

• CCSS: Unobtrusive Epidermal Sensors and Deep Gaussian Process Networks for Silent Speech Recognition from Articulatory Muscle Activities

  NSF · $463k · 2024–2027

Frequent coauthors

• Yong Zhu

  North Carolina State University

  40 shared

• Penghao Dong

  Stony Brook University

  10 shared

• Tiegang Fang

  North Carolina State University

  9 shared

• Si Chen

  Stony Brook University

  8 shared

• Yizong Li

  Stony Brook University

  8 shared

• Xiaogang Hu

  Pennsylvania State University

  7 shared

• Yuxuan Liu

  Huazhong University of Science and Technology

  7 shared

• Teng Han

  Institute of Software

  6 shared

Education

• Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering

  Stony Brook University

  2017

• M.S., Mechanical Engineering

  Stony Brook University

  2013

• B.S., Mechanical Engineering

  University of Science and Technology of China

  2010