Fellow of Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE), Member of European Academy of Sciences and Arts, Fellow of IEEE, Fellow of HKIE, Member of ASME
Head and Chair Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Director of Center for Robotics and Automation, City University of Hong Kong
Research Interest Robotics Microrobotics
Medical/Bio-robotics
Robot Control
Multirobots
Mechatronics
Biomedical Engineering Cell Manipulation
Medical Device
Bio-fluidics
Cell Engineering
Phone: +852 3442-8405
Email: bmehead@cityu.edu.hk
Email: medsun@cityu.edu.hk (personal)
Address: YEUNG-Y6719
2018 - Founding Head, Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong
2014 - Director, Center for Robotics and Automation, City University of Hong Kong
2014 - 2018 Head, Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong
2013 - Chair Professor of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong
2009 - 2013 Professor, City University of Hong Kong
2005 - 2009 Associate Professor, City University of Hong Kong
2000 - 2005 Assistant Professor, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Others Adjunct Associate Professor (2007-2010) and Adjunct Professor (2010-2016), Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Canada
Honorary Professor, Xi’an Jiao Tong University, China (2019 - present)
Guest Professor, University of Science and Technology of China (2012-2015)
Co-founder and Chairman, DynaCity Technology (HK) Ltd., Hong Kong Science Park (2003-2013)
R&D Engineer, Agile Systems Inc., Ontario, Canada (1999 – 2000)
Post-doc University of Toronto, Canada
Ph.D. The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Master Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
Bachelor Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
Experience: Invented automation processes that integrate robotics with optical tweezers, microneedles and electromagnetic devices to enable automated micro-manipulation, diagnosis and microsurgery on a large scale at single cell level.
Designed, created and applied control technologies with extensive applications to advanced manufacturing and micro-processing automation.
Conducted extensive applied researches in advanced robotics and motion controls with impactful contributions to industry, including technology transfers and high-tech startup in Hong Kong Science and Technology Park.
Summary of Research Outputs: 20 books & book chapters
440+ technical papers
18 patents
50 plenary/keynote talks
Member of European Academy of Sciences and Arts, 2021.
Award of Geneva Inventions: Magnetic microrobotic system for precise cell delivery in vivo. Silver Medal, 2021.
Fellow, Canadian Academy of Engineering, Canada, 2019.
Second Prize of Natural Science of the Ministry of Education in China, 2019.
Award of China’s Top Ten Scientific and Technological Development in Intelligent Manufacturing (中国智能制造十大科技进展奖), 2019.
Member, Biomedical Division, Science and Technology Committee of Ministry of Education, China (中国教育部科学技术委员会生物与医学学部学部委员), 2016 - 2020.
Member of the IEEE Fellow Evaluation Committee, IEEE Robotics and Automation Society, 2017.
Distinguished Alumni Award, Faculty of Engineering, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2017.
President Award for Outstanding Performance, City University of Hong Kong, 2015.
Fellow of the IEEE, Robotics and Automation Society, 2014.
Outstanding Research Award, City University of Hong Kong, 2014.
Hong Kong Awards for Industry: Machinery and Machine Tools Design, as a leading scientist, 2012.
Best paper award in automation, IEEE International Conference on Informatics and Automation, Chongqing, China, 2011.
Best paper award for automation, 2010 IEEE International Conference on Automation Science and Engineering, Toronto, Canada (my PhD student Songyu Hu also won Association for Laboratory Automation Young Scientist Award due to this best paper award).
Fellow of the Hong Kong Institute of Engineers (HKIE), 2010.
Best paper award, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics, Bangkok, Thailand, 2008/09.
Best paper award of the IEEE Transactions on Fuzzy System, 2007.
IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Chapter of the Year Award, 2008 (as the chapter chairman).
Gold Award (in category of Parts/Components), Hong Kong Electronics Fair 2006.
4th Applied Research Excellence Award (Merit), City University of Hong Kong, 2004.
Hong Kong Award for Industry: Machinery and Equipment Design Award, as a leading scientist, 2003.
Industrial Research Fellowship of Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), Canada, 1999.
Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship, Germany, 1996.
Scientific and Technological Progress Award, Education Ministry, China, 1995.
President, HKIE Division of Control, Automation and Instrumentation, since 06/2021.
Member of Enterprise Support Scheme (ESS) Assessment Panel, Innovation and Technology Commission, Hong Kong Government, since 2017.
Member of Biology and Medicine Panel (Joint Research Schemes), Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, 2021 – 2023.
Member of Engineering Panel, Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, 2011 – 2017.
Technical Editor, IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics (2009-2013)
Associate Editor, IEEE Transactions on Robotics (2004-2008)
Associate Editor, Mechatronics, since 2015
Associate Editor, IEEE Nanotechnology Express (2014 - 2016)
Guest Editor, Asian Journal of Control (2012-2013)
Guest Editor, Sensors (2010, 2011)
Editor, IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Conference Board (2010-11)
Associate Editor (2008-2010, 2016-2018), IEEE Robotics & Automation Society Conference Board
Associate Editor, IROS Conference Board, 2011-2016.
General Chair, 2019 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS).
General Chair, 2019 Advanced and Intelligent Mechatronics (AIM).
Program Chair, 2018 Gordon Research Conference on Advanced Health Informatics, Hong Kong, China.
General Co-Chair, 2018 Advanced and Intelligent Mechatronics (AIM), New Zealand.
Program Chair, 2017 World Congress on Bioengineering, Hong Kong, China.
Program Co-Chair, 2014 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), Chicago, USA.
Program Chair, 2014 Biomedical Engineering International Conference, Hong Kong.
General Chair, 2013 IEEE International Conference on Nanotechnology (IEEE-NANO), Beijing, China. IEEE-NANO is the flagship conference in the IEEE Nanotechnology society.
Program Co-Chair, 2013 IEEE International Conference on Advanced and Intelligent Mechanics (AIM), Wollongong, Australia.
Program Co-Chair, 2012 of International Conference on Control, Automation, Robotics and Vision, Guangzhou, China.
General Chair, 2010 IEEE International Conference on Nano/Molecular Medicine and Engineering, Hong Kong, China.
Program Chair, 2009 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics, Guilin, China.
Senior Program Committee Member for the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) and IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS).
A. Shakoor, B. Wang, L. Fan, L. Kong, W. Gao, J. Sun, K. Man, G. Li, and D. Sun, “Automated optical tweezers manipulation to transfer mitochondria from fetal to adult MSCs to improve anti-aging gene expressions,” Small, vol. 17, 2021.
Q. Hu, E. Dong, and D. Sun, “Soft gripper design based on the integration of flat dry adhesive, soft actuator, and microspine,” IEEE Trans. on Robotics, vol. 37, no. 4, pp. 1065-1080, August 2021.
T. Wei, J. Liu, D. Li, S. Chen, Y. Zhang, J. Li, L. Fan, Z. Guan, C.M. Lo, L. Wang, K. Man, and D. Sun, "Development of Magnet-driven and Image-guided Biodegradable Microrobots for the Precise Delivery of Engineered Stem Cells for Cancer Therapy," Small, vol. 16, no. 1906908, October 2020.
G. Z. Yang, T. B. Quek, S. Stramigioli, H. Ding, D. Sun, and J Yuh, “Forging cooperation and collaboration,” Science Robotics, vol. 4, aba5894, January 2020.
D. Li, F. Niu, J. Li, X. J. Li, and D. Sun, “Gradient-enhanced electromagnetic actuation system with a new core shape design for microrobot manipulation,” IEEE Trans. on Industrial Electronics, vol. 67, no. 6, pp. 4700-4710, June 2020.
L Fan, T. Luo, Z. Guan, Y. T. Chow, S. Chen, T. Wei, A. Shakoor, R. H. W. Lam, and D. Sun, “Gravitational sedimentation-based approach for ultra-simple and flexible cell patterning coculture on microfluidic device,” Biofabrication, vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 035005, April 2020.
F. Pan, S. Chen, Y. Jiao, Z. Guan, A. Shakoor, and D. Sun, “Automated high-productivity microinjection system for adherent cells,” IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 1167-1174, April 2020.
T. Zheng, Z. Zhang, R. Zhu, and D. Sun, “A microelectrode array chip for osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells under electrical stimulation,” Lab on a Chip, vol. 20, no. 2, pp. 373-383, January 2020.
J. Li, X. J. Li, T. Luo, R. Wang, C. Liu, S. Chen, D. Li, J. Yue, S. H. Cheng, and D. Sun, “Development of a magnetic microrobot for carrying and delivering targeted cells,” Science Robotics, vol. 3, eaat8829, June 27, 2018.
P. Liao, L. Xing, S. Zhang, and D. Sun, “Magnetically driven undulatory microswimmers integrating multiple rigid segments,” Small, July 2019 (online).
A. Shakoor, M. Xie, T. Luo, J. Hou, Y. Shen, J. K. Mills, and
M. Xie, A. Shakoor, Y. Shen, J. K. Mills, and Dong Sun, “Out-of-plane rotation control of biological cells with a robot-tweezers manipulation system for orientation-based cell surgery,” IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, vol. 66, no. 1, pp. 199-207, January 2019 (cover page)
T. Luo, L. Fan, Y. Zeng, Y. Liu, S. Chen, Q. Tan, R. H. W. Lam, and D. Sun, “A simplified sheathless cell separation approach using combined gravitational-sedimentation-based prefocusing and dielectrophoretic separation,” Lab on a Chip, vol. 18, no. 11, pp. 1521-1532, June 2018 (cover page)
X. J. Li, S. Chen, C. Liu, S. H. Cheng, Y. Wang, and D. Sun, “Development of a collision-avoidance vector based control algorithm for automated in-vivo transportation of biological cells,” Automatica, vol. 90, pp. 147-156, April 2018.
X. Li, H. Yang, H. Huang, and D. Sun, “A switching controller for high speed cell transportation by using a robot-aided optical tweezers system,” Automatica, vol. 89, pp. 308-315, January 2018.
X. J. Li, C. Liu, S. Chen, Y. Wang, S. H. Cheng, and D. Sun, “In vivo manipulation of single biological cells with an optical tweezers-based manipulator and a disturbance compensation controller,” IEEE Trans. on Robotics, vol. 33, no. 5, pp. 1200-1212, October 2017.
Z. Huan, H. K. Chu, J. Yang, and D. Sun, “Characterization of a honeycomb-like scaffold with dielectrophoresis-based patterning for tissue engineering,” IEEE Trans. on Biomedical Engineering, vol. 64, no. 4, pp. 755-764, April 2017.
H. Yang, X. Li, Y. Wang, G. Feng, and D. Sun, “Control of single-cell migration using a robot-aided stimulus-induced manipulation system,” IEEE/ASME Trans. on Mechatronics, vol. 22, no. 2, pp. 815-825, April 2017.
C. W. Kong, S. Chen, L. Geng, A. M. Y. Shum, D. Sun and R. A. Li, “Increasing the physical size and nucleation status of human pluripotent stem cell-derived ventricular cardiomyocytes by cell fusion,” Stem Cell Research, vol. 19, pp. 76-81, March 2017.
Y. P. Li, T. Xu, H. Zou, X. M. Chen, D. Sun and M. S. Yang, “Cell migration microfluidics for electrotaxis-based heterogeneity study of lung cancer cells,” Biosensors and Bioelectronics, vol. 89, pp. 837-845, Part 2, March 2017.
Y. T. Chow, S. Chen, R. Wang, C. C. Liu, C. W. Kong, R. A. Li, S. H. Cheng, and D. Sun, “Single cell transfection through precise microinjection with quantitatively controlled injection volumes,” Scientific Reports, vol. 6, no. 24127, April 2016.
Y. T. Chow, S. Chen, C. Liu, C. C. Liu, L Li, C. W. Kong, S. H. Cheng, R. A. Li, and D. Sun, “A high throughput automated microinjection system for human cells with small size,” IEEE/ASME Trans. on Mechatronics, vol. 21, no. 2, pp. 838-850, April 2016.
R. Wang, S. Chen, C. Li, T. P. Ng, C. W. Kong, J. Cheng, S. H. Cheng, R. A. Li, C. M. Lo, K. Man, and D. Sun, “Fusion with stem cell makes the hepatocellular carcinoma cells similar to liver tumor-initiating cells,” BMC Cancer, vol. 16, no. 56, February 2016.
X. Li, H. Yang, J. Wang, and D. Sun, “Design of a robust unified controller for cell manipulation with a robot-aided optical tweezers system,” Automatica, vol. 55, no. 5, pp. 279-286, May 2015.
C. C. Cheah, X. Li, X. Yan, and D. Sun, “Simple PD control scheme for robotic manipulation of biological cell,” IEEE Trans. on Automatic Control, vol. 60, no. 5, pp. 1427-1432, May 2015.
H. Yang, X. Gou, Y. Wang, T. M Fahmy, A. Y. H. Leung, J. Lu, and D. Sun, “A dynamic model of chemoattractant induced cell migration,” Biophysical Journal, vol. 108, no. 7, pp. 1645-1651, April 2015.
R. Zheng, Y. H. Liu, and D. Sun, “Enclosing a target by nonholonomic mobile robots with bearing-only measurements,” Automatica, vol. 53, no. 3, pp. 400-407, March 2015.
R. Zheng, Z. Lin, M. Fu, and D. Sun, “Distributed control for uniform circumnavigation of ring-coupled unicycles,” Automatica, vol. 53, no. 3, pp. 23-29, March 2015.
H. Chu, Z. Huan, J. K. Mills, J. Yang, and D. Sun, “Three-dimensional cell manipulation and patterning using dielectrophoresis via a multi-layer scaffold structure,” Lab on a Chip, vol. 15, no. 3, pp. 920-930, February 2015.
X. Gou, H. Yang, T. M. Fahmy, Y. Wang, and D. Sun, “Direct measurement of cell protrusion force utilizing a robot-aided cell manipulation system with optical tweezers for cell migration control,” Int. J. of Robotics Research, vol. 33, no. 14, pp. 1782-1792, November 2014.
C. C. Cheah, X. Li, X. Yan, D. Sun, “"Observer Based Optical Manipulation of Biological Cells with Robotic Tweezers,” IEEE Trans. on Robotics, vol. 30, no. 1, pp. 68-80, February 2014.
K. Wang, J. Cheng, S.H. Cheng, and D. Sun, “Probing cell biophysical behavior based on actin cytoskeleton modeling and optical tweezers stretching manipulation,” Applied Physics Letters, 103, 083706, August 2013.
X. Gou, H. Han, S. Hu, A.Y.H. Leung, and D. Sun, “Applying combined optical tweezers and fluorescence microscopy technologies to manipulate cell adhesions for cell-to-cell interaction study,” IEEE Trans. on Biomedical Engineering, vol. 60, no. 8, pp. 2308-2315, August 2013.
S. Chen, J. Cheng, C. W. Kong, X. Wang, S. H. Cheng, R. A. Li, and D. Sun, “Laser-induced fusion of human embryonic stem cells with optical tweezers,” Applied Physics Letters, 103, 033701, July 2013.
X. Li, C. C. Cheah, S. Hu, and D. Sun, “Dynamic trapping and manipulation of biological cells with optical tweezers,” Automatica, vol. 49, no. 6, pp.1614-1625, June 2013.
X. Li, D. Sun, and J. Yang, "Bounded controller for multirobot navigation while maintaining network connectivity in the presence of obstacles," Automatica, vol. 49, pp. 285-292, January 2013.
X. Yan, J. Chen, and D. Sun, "Multilevel-based topology design and shape control of robot swarms," Automatica, vol. 48, no. 12, pp. 3122-3127, December 2012.
H. Chen, and D. Sun, "Moving Groups of Microparticles into Array with a Robot-tweezers Manipulation System," IEEE Trans. on Robotics, vol. 28, no. 5, pp. 1069-1080, October 2012.
K. Wang and D. Sun, “Influence of semiflexible structural features of actin cytoskeleton on cell stiffness based on actin microstructural modeling,” J. of Biomechanics, vol. 45, pp. 1900-1908, July 2012.
S. Hu, and D. Sun, "Automatic transportation of biological cells with robot-tweezer manipulation system," Int. J. of Robotics Research, vol. 30, no. 14, pp. 1681-1694, December 2011.
X. Wang, S. Chen, M. Kong, Z. Wang, K. Costa, R. Li, and D. Sun, "Enhanced cell sorting and manipulation with combined optical tweezer and microfluidic chip technologies," Lab on a Chip, vol. 11, no. 21, pp. 3656-3662, 2011.
J. Chen, and D. Sun, "Resource constrained multirobot task allocation based on leader-follower coalition methodology," Int. J. of Robotics Research, vol. 30, pp. 1423-1434, October 2011.
Y. Tan, T-K Fung, H. Wan, K. Wang, Anskar Y. H. Leung, and D. Sun, "Biophysical characterization of hematopoietic cells from normal and leukemic sources with distinct primitiveness," Applied Physics Letters, 99(8), 083702, 2011.
Y. Xie, D. Sun, C. Liu, H. Y. Tse, and S. H. Cheng, "Force sensing and manipulation strategy in robot-assisted microinjection on zebrafish embryos," IEEE/ASME Trans. on Mechatronics, vol. 16, no. 6, pp. 1002-1010, December 2011.
Y. Xie, D. Sun, C. Liu, H. Y. Tse, and S. H. Cheng, "A force control approach to a robot-assisted cell microinjection system," Int. J. of Robotics Research, vol. 29, no. 9, pp. 1222-1232, August 2010.
H. Chen, D. Sun, J. Yang, and J. Chen, "SLAM based global localization for multi-robot formations in indoor environment," IEEE/ASME Trans. on Mechatronics, vol. 15, no. 4, pp. 561—574, August 2010.
Y. Tan, D. Sun, J. Wang, and W. Huang, "Mechanical characterization of human red blood cells under different osmotic conditions by robotic manipulation with optical tweezers," IEEE Trans. on Biomedical Engineering, vol. 57, no. 7, pp. 1816-1825, July 2010.
J. Chen, D. Sun, J. Yang, and H. Chen, "A leader-follower formation control of multiple nonholonomic mobile robots incorporating receding-horizon scheme," Int. J. of Robotics Research, vol. 29, no. 6, pp. 727-747, May 2010.
D. Sun, C. Wang, W. Shang, and G. Feng, "A synchronization approach to trajectory tracking of multiple mobile robots while maintaining time-varying formations," IEEE Trans. on Robotics, vol. 25, no. 5, pp. 1074-1086, October 2009.
H. Huang, D. Sun, J. K. Mills, and S. H. Cheng, "Robotics cell injection system with vision and force control: Towards automatic batch biomanipulation," IEEE Trans. on Robotics, vol. 25, no. 3, pp. 727-737, June 2009.
D. Sun, S. Hu, X. Shao, and C. Liu, "Global stability of a saturated nonlinear PID controller for robotic manipulators," IEEE Trans. on Control System Technology, vol. 17, no. 4, pp. 892-899, July 2009.
D. Sun, L. Ren, J. K. Mills, and C. Wang, "A synchronous tracking control of parallel manipulators using cross-coupling approach," Int. J. of Robotics Research, vol. 25, no. 11, pp. 1137-1148, Nov. 2006.
Y. X. Su, D. Sun, L. Ren, and J. K. Mills, "Integration of saturated PI synchronous control and PD feedback for control of parallel manipulators," IEEE Trans. on Robotics, vol. 22, no. 1, pp.202-207, February 2006.
H. Wu, D. Sun, and Z. Zhou, "Model identification of a micro air vehicle in loitering flight based on attitude performance evaluation
Design for robust component synthesis vibration suppression of flexible structures with on-off actuators," IEEE Trans. on Robotics and Automation, vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 512-525, June 2004.
D. Sun, "Position synchronization of multiple motion axes with adaptive coupling control
Adaptive synchronized control for coordination of multi-robot assembly tasks
Development of partial model-based torque control of AC induction motors
Stabilizing a flexible beam handled by two manipulators via PD feedback", IEEE Trans. on Automatic Control, vol. 45, no. 11, pp. 2159-2164, November 2000.
D. Sun, J. K. Mills and Y. H. Liu, “Position control of robot manipulators manipulating a flexible payload”, Int. J. of Robotics Research, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 319-332, March 1999.
Last modified on 13 August, 2021
