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Center for Biodevices

Transforming human health, agriculture, and environmental sciences through collaborative research, technology, and industry partnerships

The Penn State Center for Biodevices (CfB) unites engineers, scientists, and healthcare providers to create innovative device-based solutions that promote better human health, sustainable agronomy, and environmental resilience. Through research innovation, industry partnerships, community events, and workforce development programs, CfB empowers researchers and students to translate discovery into impact.

As faculty, a principle investigator, staff, postdoctoral fellow, graduate student, undergraduate student, or another affiliation, please complete the CfB Affiliation form below. Your input will help us update our affiliate database and tailor upcoming programs to your research interests.

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About

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Agricultural & Environmental Devices

Device-Enabling Technologies

Medical Devices

News

Team led by Penn State researcher receives national biopharmaceutical award

A research team led by Andrew Zydney, Bayard D. Kunkle Chair and professor of chemical engineering at Penn State, has received the inaugural Most Impactful Project Award from the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL).

Fourteen interdisciplinary research teams receive 2026 IEE seed grants

Fourteen interdisciplinary research teams have received funding through the Institute of Energy and the Environment’s (IEE) 2026 Seed Grant Program. The program supports basic and applied research that lays the groundwork to pursue external funding and is guided by IEE’s five strategic research themes. This year, the program awarded seed funding to more than 40 researchers across 10 colleges and campuses and 21 departments and units.

Artificial eyes could bring human-like sight to self-driving cars, robots

Although self-driving cars and sophisticated robots use advanced cameras, computer algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI) to picture their surroundings, these artificial eyes struggle to remain reliable in mixed lighting conditions. A team of researchers, co-led by an engineer from Penn State, has proposed a solution that mimics the mechanics of the human eye to adapt from bright to dark light in seconds.

News

Team led by Penn State researcher receives national biopharmaceutical award

A research team led by Andrew Zydney, Bayard D. Kunkle Chair and professor of chemical engineering at Penn State, has received the inaugural Most Impactful Project Award from the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL).

Fourteen interdisciplinary research teams receive 2026 IEE seed grants

Fourteen interdisciplinary research teams have received funding through the Institute of Energy and the Environment’s (IEE) 2026 Seed Grant Program. The program supports basic and applied research that lays the groundwork to pursue external funding and is guided by IEE’s five strategic research themes. This year, the program awarded seed funding to more than 40 researchers across 10 colleges and campuses and 21 departments and units.

Artificial eyes could bring human-like sight to self-driving cars, robots

Although self-driving cars and sophisticated robots use advanced cameras, computer algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI) to picture their surroundings, these artificial eyes struggle to remain reliable in mixed lighting conditions. A team of researchers, co-led by an engineer from Penn State, has proposed a solution that mimics the mechanics of the human eye to adapt from bright to dark light in seconds.

Materials lab in national program to develop wearable eye health system

The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), has awarded up to $75.8 million to four research teams through its Ocular Laboratory for Analysis of Biomarkers (OCULAB) program. Researchers from Penn State will develop biosensors for the Closed-Loop Sensing and Microdosing for Dry Eye and Systemic Disease Management (COSMIC) team led by Lacristat, a California-based ophthalmology company.