Dr LIM Chwee Teck

Director, Institute for Health Innovation & Technology (iHealthtech)

Distinguished Professor

Education

  • PhD. University of Cambridge, UK.
  • BEng (First Class Hon). NUS.

Research Interest

  1. Human disease mechanobiology
  2. Microfluidic biomedical technologies
  3. Soft wearable technologies

Technopreneurship & Startups

  1. Co-founder, Microtube Technologies
  2. Co-founder, Flexosense
  3. Co-founder, Clearbridge mFluidics
  4. Co-founder, Clearbridge NanoMedics
  5. Co-founder, Biolidics Ltd (previously known as Clearbridge BioMedics)
  6. Co-founder and Affiliated Partner, Clearbridge Accelerator
  7. Co-founder, Robust Dynamics

Selected Awards & Honours

  1. Public Administration Medal (Bronze) 2026
  2. Eric Reissner Medal 2026
  3. Savio L-Y. Woo Distinguished Lecture Award, WACBE, 2026
  4.  International Member, National Academy of Engineering (US) 2026
  5. NUS Distinguished Alumni Award 2025
  6. President’s Science Award 2025
  7. International Fellow, Royal Academy of Engineering (UK) 2025
  8. Otto Schmitt Award, IFMBE, 2025
  9. Fellow, Royal Society (UK) 2024
  10. Fellow, Institution of Engineers Singapore
  11. Nature Award for Mentoring in Science (Lifetime Achievement) 2022
  12. IES Prestigious Engineering Achievement Award 2010, 2016, 2021, 2022
  13. Fellow, International Union for Physical and Engineering Sciences in Medicine 2022
  14. Asia’s Most Influential Scientist, Fortune Times, 2021
  15. Highly Cited Researcher 2021
  16. Elected Fellow, ASEAN Academy of Engineering and Technology 2021
  17. Fellow, US National Academy of Inventors
  18. Fellow, Singapore National Academy of Science 2020
  19. IP Champion, IPOS-WIPO IP Awards 2019
  20. HFSP Award 2012, 2018
  21. Most Innovative Award, Engineering Medical Innovation Global Competition, 2017
  22. ASEAN Outstanding Engineering Achievement Award 2016
  23. Elected Fellow, International Academy of Medical and Biological Engineering
  24. Asian Scientist Top 100 List 2016
  25. Fellow, American Institute for Medical & Biological Engineering, 2015
  26. Fellow, Academy of Engineering, Singapore, 2015
  27. Vladimir K. Zworykin Award, IFMBE, 2015
  28. Outstanding Researcher Award, NUS University Awards 2014
  29. Outstanding Innovator Award, NUS Innovation & Enterprise Awards 2014
  30. Credit Suisse Technopreneur of the Year Award 2012
  31. Gold, Wall Street Journal Asian Innovation Awards 2012
  32. TechVenture Most Disruptive Technology Award 2012
  33. First Prize, Asian Entrepreneurship Award 2012
  34. NGS Excellent Mentoring Award 2011/2012
  35. Rising Star Innovator Award, TechVenture 2011
  36. President’s Technology Award 2011
  37. Cited in MIT Technology Review: 10 Emerging Technologies and their impact, 2006

Refer to my website for more details.

Membership in Scientific/Professional Organization

  • International Member, National Academy of Engineering, US
  • Fellow, Royal Society, UK
  • International Fellow, Royal Academy of Engineering, UK
  • Fellow, US National Academy of Inventors
  • Fellow, American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering
  • Fellow, International Academy of Medical and Biological Engineering
  • Fellow, International Union for Physical and Engineering Sciences in Medicine
  • Fellow, ASEAN Academy of Engineering and Technology
  • Fellow, Singapore National Academy of Science
  • Fellow, Academy of Engineering, Singapore
  • Fellow, Institution of Engineers Singapore
  • Council Member, World Council of Biomechanics
  • Council Board Member, World Association for Chinese Biomedical Engineers
  • Executive Member, Biomedical Engineering Society, Singapore
  • Executive Committee Member, Global Enterprise on Micro Mechanics & Molecular Medicine (GEM4)
  • Associate Editor and Editorial Board Member of over 20 international journals

Selected Journal Publications

  1. C T, Lim & Z J Daruwalla, Technology Readiness Is Not Clinical Translation Readiness, Nature Reviews Bioengineering, 2026.
  2. Gao, B B et al. AI-Powered Closed-Loop Wearable Bioelectronics for Next Generation Personalized and Autonomous Healthcare, Nature Sensors, 1, 667–680, 2026.
  3. Liu, X Y, et al. High-throughput deformability-based microfluidic sorting reveals metastatic cancer subpopulations, PNAS, 123, 32, e2604094123, 2026.
  4. Wang, J H, et al. A deep reinforcement learning-ensembled virtual reality sports system for adolescents with excess body weight: development, evaluation and randomised controlled trial, Nature Medicine, 1-14, 2025.
  5. Chen, S W, et al. Transforming Healthcare: Intelligent Wearable Sensors Empowered by Smart Materials and Artificial Intelligence, Advanced Materials (Hall of Fame), 2500412, 2025.
  6. Sheng, B, et al, Artificial Intelligence for Diabetes Care: Current, Emerging, and Future Prospects, The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, 12, 569-595, 2024.
  7. Qi, J M, et al. Bridging the Digital-Physical Divide using Haptics and Wearable Technologies, Nature Electronics, 7, 1098-1110, 2024.
  8. Wang, C R, et al., Translational materials and technologies for wound management: from bench to bedside and beyond, Nature Reviews Materials, 2024.
  9. Chen, S W, et al, Wearable flexible microfluidic sensing technologies, Nature Reviews Bioengineering, 2023. (in press) to Chen, S W, et al, Wearable flexible microfluidic sensing technologies, Nature Reviews Bioengineering, 1, 950-971, 2023.
  10. Chen, S W, et al , Ultrahigh Strain-insensitive Integrated Hybrid Electronics Using Highly Stretchable Bilayer Liquid Metal based Conductor, Advanced Materials, 35, 5, e2208569, 2023.
  11. Glentis, A, et al, The Emergence of Spontaneous Coordinated Epithelial Rotation on Cylindrical Curved Surfaces, Science Advances, 8, 37, eabn5406, 2022.
  12. Saw, T B, et al, Transepithelial potential difference governs epithelial fate by electromechanics, Nature Physics, 18, 1122–1128， 2022.
  13. Hong, J H, et al, Point-of-care diagnostic tests for active tuberculosis, Science Translational Medicine, 639, eabj4124, 2022.
  14. Chakraborty S, et al, Agrin-Matrix Metalloproteinase-12 axis confers a mechanically competent microenvironment in skin wound healing, Nature Communications, 12, 6349, 2021.
  15. Xiong, Z, et al, A wireless and battery-free wound infection sensor based on DNA hydrogel, Science Advances, 7, 47, eabj1617, 2021.
  16. Gao, Y J, et al, A wearable multifunctional immunosensor for the monitoring of chronic wounds, Science Advances, 7, 21, eabg9614, 2021.
  17. Gaston, C,  et al, EpCAM promotes endosomal modulation of the cortical RhoA zone for epithelial organization, Nature Communications, 12 1, 1-22, 2021
  18. Phuong Le, et al, Adhesion-mediated heterogeneous actin organization governs apoptotic cell extrusion, Nature Communications, 12,397,2021
  19. Doss, B L et al, Cell response to substrate rigidity is regulated by active and passive cytoskeletal stress, PNAS, 117, 23, 12817-12825 2020.
  20. Jain, S et al, The role of single cell mechanical behavior and polarity in driving collective cell migration, Nature Physics, 1-8, 2020.
  21. Sun, A X Y, et al,  Potassium channel dysfunction in human neuronal models of Angelman syndrome, Science, 366, 6472, 1486-1492, 2019.
  22. Lim, S B et al, Addressing cellular heterogeneity in tumor and circulation for refined prognostication, PNAS, 116, 36, 17957-17962, 2019.
  23. Xi, W et al, Material Approaches to Active Tissue Mechanics, Nature Reviews Materials, 4, 23–44, 2019.
  24. Ding, X G et al, Defect Engineered Bioactive Transition Metal Dichalcogenides Quantum Dots, Nature Communications, 10, 41, 2019.
  25. Saw, T B, W Xi, B Ladoux, C T Lim, Biological tissues as active nematic liquid crystals, Advanced Materials, 30, 47, 2018.
  26. Chaudhuri, P K et al, Mechanobiology of Tumor Growth, Chemical Reviews, 118, 14, 6499-6515, 2018. (F1000 recommended as being of special significance)
  27. Sun, S Y et al, Flagellum couples cell shape to motility in Trypanosoma brucei, PNAS, 201722618, 2018.
  28. Sreekanth, K V et al, Biosensing with the singular phase of an ultrathin metal-dielectric nanophotonic cavity, Nature Communications, 9, 369, 2018.
  29. Khoo, B L et al, Expansion of patient-derived circulating tumor cells from liquid biopsies using a CTC microfluidic culture device, Nature Protocols, 13, 34-58, 2018.
  30. Kenry et al, When stem cells meet graphene: Opportunities and challenges in regenerative medicine, Biomaterials, 155, 236-250, 2018.
  31. Lim, S B et al, An extracellular matrix-related prognostic and predictive indicator for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer, Nature Communications, 8, 1734, 2017.
  32. Xi, W et al., Soft tubular microfluidics for 2D and 3D applications, PNAS, 114, 40, 10590–10595, 2017.
  33. Saw, T B et al, Topological defects in epithelia govern cell death and extrusion, Nature, 544, 212-216, 2017.
  34. Khoo, B L et al, Liquid biopsy and therapeutic response: Circulating tumor cell cultures for evaluation of anticancer treatment. Science Advances, 2, 7, e1600274, 2016.
  35. Yeo, J C et al, Flexible and stretchable strain sensing actuator for wearable soft robotics application, Advanced Materials Technologies, 1, 3, 2016.
  36. Yeo, T et al, Microfluidic enrichment for the single cell analysis of circulating tumor cells, Scientific Reports, 6, 22076, 2016.
  37. Warkiani, M E, et al, Ultra-fast, label-free isolation of circulating tumor cells from blood using spiral microfluidics, Nature Protocols, 14, 1, 128-37, 2016.
  38. Wang, J et al, Haem-activated promiscuous targeting of artemisinin in Plasmodium falciparum, Nature Communications, 6, 10111, 2015.
  39. Gupta, M et al, Adaptive rheology and ordering of cell cytoskeleton govern matrix rigidity sensing, Nature Communications, 6, 7525, 2015.
  40. Vedula, S R K et al, Mechanics of epithelial closure over non-adherent environments, Nature Communications, 6, 6111, 2015.
  41. Lee, W C et al, Multivariate biophysical markers predictive of mesenchymal stromal cell multi potency, PNAS, 111, 42, E4409-18, 2014.
  42. Yao, M et al, Force-dependent conformational switch of a-catenin controls vinculin binding, Nature Communications, 5, 4525, 2014.
  43. Vedula, S R K et al, Epithelial bridges maintain tissue integrity during collective cell migration, Nature Materials, 13, 87-96, 2014.
  44. Hou H W et al, Isolation and retrieval of circulating tumor cells using centrifugal forces, Scientific Reports, 3, 1259, 2013.
  45. Thiery, J P, C T Lim, Tumor dissemination: An EMT affair, Cancer Cell, 23, 3, 272-273, 2013.
  46. Vedula, S R K et al, Emerging modes of collective cell migration induced by geometrical constraints, PNAS, 109, 32, 12974-12979, 2012. (F1000 recommended as being of special significance)
  47. Lee, W C et al, The origin of enhanced stem cell growth and differentiation on graphene and graphene oxide, ACS Nano, 5, 9, 7334-7341, 2011.

Staff Details

Contact Number

65167801

Email Address

ctlim@nus.edu.sg

Location

EA-05-10

Website

Google Scholar