Dr. Saad Bhamla is an Associate Professor in University of Colorado Boulder’s Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and the BioFrontiers Institute. His curiosity-driven research in the ‘Physics of Life’ uncovers extreme biological movements, from ATP-independent ultrafast cells to topological active matter in worm blobs and sled dog team dynamics. He also pioneers ‘Frugal Science,’ inventing scalable, low-cost tools like the 20-cent paper centrifuge, 23-cent electroporator, and $1 hearing aid, all aimed at democratizing access to science and healthcare.

He leads the Frugal Science Academy, which provides hands-on training in molecular and synthetic biology for underrepresented students and teachers. He also directs the in-situ Jungle Biomechanics Lab, a field-research course that trains early-career scientists in interdisciplinary fieldwork in the Amazon Rainforest. He has commercialized a low-cost RNA vaccine technology (ePatch) through a venture-funded startup, published over 75 articles, and guided 6 postdocs into tenure-track positions.

His work has earned early career awards from federal, defense, and philanthropic institutions including the Schmidt Polymath Award, DARPA Young Faculty Award, Moore Inventor Fellowship, NSF Career Award, and NIH Outstanding Investigator Award. These accolades underscore his ability to balance curiosity-driven ‘blue sky’ science with the invention of technologies that address challenges in human health, defense, and robotics. His teaching and research excellence has been recognized by the Sigma Xi Young Faculty Award, CTL Award for Teaching Excellence, and Outstanding Faculty Achievement in Research at Georgia Tech.

His dedication to making science accessible and enjoyable through the creation of multilingual comics, titled “A Curious Zoo of Extraordinary Organisms,” earned him the National Academies’ Eric and Wendy Schmidt Award for Excellence in Science Communication. In 2023, Newsweek listed him among the top 10 Innovators transforming healthcare, and in 2025 Forbes named him a polymath.