Rohit Karnik

Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Room 3-461A
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
77 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge MA 02139-4307
Phone: 617-324-1155
Email: karnik@mit.edu
Web: http://web.mit.edu/karnik/www/home.htm

Curriculum Vitae

Administrative Contact:
Theresa Werth
Room 3-461
Phone: 617-324-2805
Email: theresaw@mit.edu

Research Areas of Interest
Nanofluidics, microfluidics, BioMEMS

Summary
Our general interest is in the physics of microfluidic and nanofluidic flows and design of devices for a variety of applications in healthcare, energy systems, and biochemical analysis.

Education
Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley (2006)
M.S., University of California, Berkeley (2004)
B.Tech., Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (2002)

Awards and Honors
Institute Silver Medal, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (2002)

NSF CAREER Award (2010)

Keenan Award for Innovation in Undergraduate Education (2011)

DOE Early Career Award (2012)

Teaching

Fall 2012: Thermal-Fluids Engineering II

Spring 2012: Micro/Nano Engineering Laboratory

Fall 2011: Thermal-Fluids Engineering II

Spring 2011: Micro/Nano Engineering Laboratory

Fall 2010: Thermal-Fluids Engineering II

Spring 2010: Micro/Nano Engineering Laboratory

Fall 2009: Thermal-Fluids Engineering I

Spring 2009: Thermal-Fluids Engineering II

Fall 2008: Thermal-Fluids Engineering II

Spring 2008: Measurement and Instrumentation

Fall 2007: Measurement and Instrumentation

Current Research Projects

Nanofluidics: We are designing nanofluidic systems for detection and analysis of single molecules and particles using ionic currents for sensing transport of single molecules. Collaboration- Dr. Carlos Aguilar and Dr. Pete Carr (MIT Lincoln Labs)

Cell separation and analysis: We are developing technologies for separation of cells in microfluidic devices based on cell-surface interactions. Collaboration- Jeff Karp (Harvard), Krystyn Van Vliet (MIT), Angela Belcher (MIT).

Microfluidic synthesis of nanoparticles: We are using microfluidic mixing to understand and control self-assembly of diblock copolymers for synthesis of nanoparticles for drug delivery. Collaboration- Omid Farokhzad (Harvard) and Robert Langer (MIT).

Nanostructured membranes: We are creating novel high-flux membranes and studying transport of water and ions through these membranes for applications in water desalination and gas separations. Collaboration- KFUPM (Saudi Arabia), Jing Kong (MIT), Nicolas Hadjicontantinou (MIT).