Dr. Michaëlle Mayalu

Assistant Professor

Build a Statement of Purpose

Generate a tailored SOP for Dr. Michaëlle Mayalu. Improve your application with a focused, well-structured draft.

Biography

Michaëlle Ntala Mayalu is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Stanford University, holding additional courtesy appointments in Bioengineering. She earned her Ph.D., M.S., and B.S. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Following her doctoral studies, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the California Institute of Technology in the Computing and Mathematical Sciences Department. Dr. Mayalu has received numerous awards, including the 2023 Hypothesis Fund Grantee and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund Postdoctoral Enrichment Program award. Her research focuses on mathematical modeling, control theory, and synthetic biological systems, aiming to develop tools for predicting and optimizing biological functions at various levels. She directs the Mayalu Lab, which explores innovative designs for biomedical therapies using computational approaches paired with experimental techniques. The lab's research includes projects on engineering microrobots and multi-scale modeling of therapies for gut-associated skin disorders. Dr. Mayalu's goal is to establish effective modeling frameworks that integrate control theory and computation to create impactful biological therapeutic machines.

Research Interests

Experience

Assistant Professor

2021-01-01 — Present

Stanford University • Stanford, CA

Teaching and conducting research in Mechanical Engineering and Bioengineering.

Awards

#

Hypothesis Fund Grantee

#

Postdoctoral Enrichment Program Transition Faculty Award

#

Gabilan Faculty Fellow

#

Terman Faculty Fellow

#

Postdoctoral Enrichment Program Award

#

California Alliance Postdoctoral Fellowship Award

Courses

BIOE 305 ENGR 105 BIOE 191 BIOE 391 CME 400

Requirements for Stanford University

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3.5
TOEFL
Listening
Required:26
Reading
Required:26
Writing
Required:26
Speaking
Required:26
Total
Required:100
GRE General
Verbal
Required:160
Quantitative
Required:165
Analytical Writing
Required:4.5
Overall
Required:4.5
Prerequisites
Bachelor degree from an accredited institution Strong background in mathematics and programming
Application Checklist
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Official transcripts
  • Resume/CV
Specialization Notes

The Computer Science department emphasizes research potential. GRE General is currently optional but recommended for some tracks.