M.Eng Biomedical Engineering - University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK

Luca received his bachelor’s and master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Glasgow, where he was awarded the prestigious Gilbert Cook Prize as the top performing graduate engineering student. Throughout his studies, he discovered his passion for soft robotic systems, which led him to conducting research in the Human Robotics lab at Imperial College London, and in the Evolution Innovation lab at the National University of Singapore under Dr. Chen-Hua Yeow. There, Luca developed a novel 3D-printed soft robotic actuator, which allows geometry-based customization of bending modalities with applications in object manipulation and wearable assistive devices for stroke patients. Before landing at MIT, Luca completed his master’s thesis as a visiting student at the University of Cambridge under Dr. Thierry Savin. His work there focused on the development of an instrument for mechanical characterization of soft biological materials, which he leveraged to gain insight into the post-natal development of murine esophageal tissue. At the TTDD lab, Luca’s goal is to combine soft robotics and tissue biomechanics to develop technologies to better understand the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying specific cardiovascular conditions and, ultimately, to develop mechanical assist devices for these patients. Outside of the lab, Luca enjoys reading Latin classic books, playing music, and travelling.