Collegium Helveticum
Switzerland
fellow
Govind Kaigala
2025-2026
Home institution
The University of British Columbia
Country of origin (home institution)
Colombia
Discipline(s)
Biology; Biotechnology; Engineering
Theme(s)
Future Studies; Health
Fellowship dates
›
Biography
Govind Kaigala leads a research group focused on microfluidics, micro/nanofabrication, and bioanalytical technologies. His work bridges engineering and medicine, aiming to translate technical innovations into clinical solutions that address unmet healthcare needs and improve patient outcomes. Together with his team, he is advancing quantitative methods in biomedicine with potential applications in cancer research and precision medicine.
A key focus of his lab is the development of biodevices for quantitative cancer engineering, particularly tools for profiling tumors, analyzing cellular interactions, modeling tumor environments, and personalizing therapies.
Govind earned his PhD in 2009 from the University of Alberta (CA) and completed postdoctoral training at Stanford University (US). In 2010, he joined the IBM Research Laboratory in Rüschlikon (CH), where he worked as a staff scientist in precision diagnostics until 2022. He is now an associate professor in the School of Biomedical Engineering at the University of British Columbia and a senior scientist at the Vancouver Prostate Centre.
Research Project
Developing Microrobots to Deliver Cargo Spatially to Carcinomas
During his collaborative stay at the Collegium and at ETH Zurich, Govind Kaigala aims to explore in collaboration with Bradley Nelson how microrobotic expertise can be applied to the treatment of solid tumors, particularly those located near fluid-accessible environments.
This work builds on the expertise of Brad Nelson’s group at the Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Systems (IRIS) at ETH Zurich, which specializes in medical microrobotics. The Nelson group has developed intelligent robotic systems capable of precision cargo delivery within the body—either through systemic circulation,e.g., to cardiac tissue, or via topical routes, e.g., via the eye. One example is muscle-invasive bladder cancer, where therapeutic agents could potentially be delivered via the luminal compartment in reconstructed tumor models. This project will assess the capabilities of magnetic-based microrobots, with the long-term goal of developing techniques suitable for in vivo applications.
Research Interests:
medical microrobotics; biomedical engineering; oncology; solid tumor treatment; drug delivery; magnetic microrobots; precision medicine; robotics and intelligent systems; minimally invasive medicine.