Prof. Michael J Cima

David H Koch Professor of Engineering
Associate Dean of Innovation, School of Engineering
Faculty Director, Lemelson-MIT Program

Primary DLC

Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research (KIICR)

MIT Room: 76-653G

Assistant

Wendy Brown
webrown@mit.edu

Areas of Interest and Expertise

Materials Science
Advanced Forming Technology
Ceramic Thin Film Processing
MEMS Devices for Medical Electronics and Drug Delivery
Health Technologies
Drug Formulation
Micron-Scale Assembly
3D Printing
Colloid Science
Superconductors

Research Summary

Professor Cima is author or co-author of over two hundred peer-reviewed scientific publications and forty-five patents, and is a recognized expert in the field of materials processing. Prof. Cima is actively involved in materials and engineered systems aimed at improving human health such as treatments for cancer, metabolic diseases, trauma, and urological disorders. Prof. Cima's research includes advanced forming technologies for complex macro and micro devices, such as colloid science, MEMS and other micro components for medical devices that are used for drug delivery and diagnostics, as well as high-throughput development methods for formulations of materials and pharmaceutical formulations. He is a coinventor of MIT's three-dimensional printing process. His research has led to the development of chemically derived epitaxial oxide films for HTSC coated conductors. He and collaborators are developing implantable MEMS devices for unprecedented control in the delivery of pharmaceuticals and implantable diagnostic systems.

We develop materials and engineered systems aimed at improving human health. Specifically, we are focused on diagnostics and treatments for cancer, metabolic diseases, trauma, and urological disorders. The laboratory has expertise in advanced forming technologies for complex macro and micro devices, such as colloid science, MEMS and other micro components, as well as high-throughput development methods for formulations of materials and pharmaceutical formulations. Currently being developed are implantable MEMS devices for unprecedented control in the delivery of pharmaceuticals and implantable diagnostic systems.

Recent Work

  • Video

    2021-RD-Michael-Cima

    November 18, 2021Conference Video Duration: 50:11
    Michael Cima
    David H. Koch Professor of Engineering, MIT Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research

    Cima-Japan-2.5.2021

    February 5, 2021Conference Video Duration: 37:26
    Michael Cima
    David H. Koch Professor of Engineering, MIT Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research

    9.29.20-Nano-Sense-Day-3-Intro-Panel-1

    September 29, 2020Conference Video Duration: 50:55
    Brian Anthony
    Associate Director, MIT.nano
    Faculty Lead, Industry Immersion Program in Mechanical Engineering
    Vladimir Bulovic
    Director, MIT.nano; Fariborz Maseeh (1990) Chair in Emerging Technology; Professor of Electrical Engineering, MacVicar Fellow
    Michael Cima
    David H. Koch Professor of Engineering, MIT Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research
    Amy Moran-Thomas
    Alfred Henry and Jean Morrison Hayes Career Development Associate Professor of Anthropology at MIT
    Timothy Swager
    John D. MacArthur Professor of Chemistry

    9.22.20-Nano-Sense-Day-2--BODY-SYSTEMS

    September 22, 2020Conference Video Duration: 127:57
    Brian Anthony
    Associate Director, MIT.nano
    Faculty Lead, Industry Immersion Program in Mechanical Engineering
    Vladimir Bulovic
    Director, MIT.nano; Fariborz Maseeh (1990) Chair in Emerging Technology; Professor of Electrical Engineering, MacVicar Fellow

    Introducing Analog Devices’ Digital Health business and the role of sensors in Medtech
    Brendan Cronin
    Director, Digital Healthcare Group at Analog Devices

    Peek into research

    Rapid Antigen Diagnostics for Emerging Pathogens
    Lee Gehrke
    Hermann L.F. von Helmholtz Professor of Health Sciences
    GI device development in a few movements
    Giovanni Traverso
    Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering
    Electronic Textile Conformable Suit (E-TeCS)
    Canan Dagdeviren
    LG Career Development Professor of Media Arts and Sciences at MIT Media Lab
    MR relaxometer for improving clinical outcomes in hemodialysis
    Michael Cima
    David H. Koch Professor of Engineering, MIT Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research

    Michael Cima - 2019 RD Conference

    November 20, 2019Conference Video Duration: 42:14

    Reimagining diagnostics in medical care

    Medical technologies are evolving at a very rapid pace. Portable communications devices and other handheld electronics are influencing our expectations of future medical tools. The advanced medical technologies of our future will not necessarily be large expensive systems. They are just as likely to be small and disposable. This talk will review how microsystems and microdevices are already impacting health care as commercial products or in clinical development. Adoption of new technologies depends greatly on compatibility with existing clinical practice. Microsystems that are rapidly adopted fulfill significant medical needs and fit seamlessly with existing procedures. My group has been focusing on studying individual medical procedures and trying to make them do things never before thought possible or dramatically reduce morbidity associated with that procedure. Several examples will be described including noninvasive ways of determining hydration status, measuring local hypoxia in tumors, measuring tumor response to targeted therapy, and longitudinal measurements of biomarkers.

    2019 MIT Research and Development Conference