William J. Brown Professor, Mechanical Engineering
Director, Center for the Mechanics and Engineering of Cellular Systems
Courtesy Appointments, Biological Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, Computational Biology Department, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Philip LeDuc is the William J. Brown Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. In his lab, he works at the intersection of mechanical engineering and biology by envisioning cells and molecules as systems that can be investigated with some of the same fundamental approaches used on machines such as planes and automobiles looking for unifying principles. These systems range from mammalian cells to microorganisms to developmental biology systems and apply principles from mechanical engineering fields to understand how these principles may apply across diverse nature-based systems.
In the energy domain, LeDuc is focused on algae and bacterial fuel cells. His lab conducts basic science and applied research in crossing over mechanical engineering approaches including solid mechanics, fluid mechanics, control theory, etc. with biological systems ranging from algae to artificial cells to developmental biology.
He has received the National Science Foundation CAREER award, George Tallman Ladd Research Award, Russell V. Trader Career Faculty Fellow, Benjamin Richard Teare Teaching Award, “Professor of the Year” as voted by the senior class, MARC Minority Faculty Mentor Award, and Beckman Foundation Young Investigator Award. He is a member of the National Research Council Roundtable on Biomedical Engineering Materials and Applications (BEMA), and a Fellow of the Biomedical Engineering Society, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the American Institute for Medical & Biological Engineering, and the International Academy of Medical and Biological Engineering (IAMBE).
1999 Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University
1995 MS, North Carolina State University
1993 BS, North Carolina State University
CMU Engineering
Engineering students were back in the kitchen this semester to learn how the same mechanics that apply to airplanes and automobiles relate to the mechanics of cells in the foods we eat.
Additive Manufacturing Media
The video of a new 3D ice printing method developed by Carnegie Mellon engineers is magical according to Additive Manufacturing Media. Read about how mechanical engineering faculty Burak Ozdoganlar and Philip LeDuc and Ph.D. student Akash Garg are printing sacrificial structures that are as small as blood vessels.
Mechanical Engineering
Collaborative research between doctoral students from Biological Sciences and Mechanical Engineering yields findings published in Nature Communications.
CMU Engineering
3D printed ice isn’t as magical as in the movie Frozen, but it has wonderful potential for biomedical engineering and advanced manufacturing.
CMU Engineering
Solar panel installation in cities requires setups tailored to the complex geometry of urban spaces that provide the most direct sunlight to each panel. Among the processes for designing the most efficient setup for solar panels is shadow modeling.
Axios
MechE’s Phil LeDuc and alumnus Adam Wood’s work on using bread to remove salt from water was featured in Axios’ science newsletter on February 3.
CMU Engineering
Though water covers two-thirds of our planet’s surface, water scarcity remains a persistent issue. Mechanical Engineering’s Philip LeDuc and Adam Wood have an unconventional solution: bread.
IAMBE News
MechE’s Philip Leduc has been nominated and elected for Fellowship by the International Academy of Medical and Biological Engineering (IAMBE).
CMU Engineering
In partnership with UPMC, Carnegie Mellon researchers developed a machine learning approach for examining placenta samples to determine if mothers are at risk for complications in future pregnancies.
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering students and faculty adapted with innovation and agility to finish the spring 2020 semester during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Advanced Science News
An image of MechE’s Philip LeDuc’s research on microstructures was featured in Advanced Science News’ “This month in pictures” for April 2020.
The Piper
MechE’s Philip LeDuc has recieved the 2020 Barbara Lazarus Award for Graduate Student and Junior Faculty Mentoring. Named after a beloved member of the CMU community, the award celebrates those who foster an inviting and nurturing environment for graduate students and young faculty at the university.
