I got my PhD (cum laude and Extraordinary PhD Thesis Award) by the University of Vigo (2020). My PhD dissertation was based on the design of magnetic nanoparticles for biomedical applications, with especial attention to magnetic guidance and heat delivery. I am currently a postdoctoral researcher in the Laboratory for Cell Mimicry at the Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (Aarhus University, Denmark). My research focuses on the design of bio-inspired polymer-driven nanomotors to self-navigate in inhomogeneous and complex environments and through biological barriers.
EDUCATION
I got my Bachelor in Chemistry (2014) by the University of Vigo (Spain) and my Master in Biological Sciences (esp. Molecular Biology for Life and Health Sciences) by the same university (2016).
RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS
Colloid and Surface Chemistry
29
Scopus Publications
Scopus Publications
Light-responsive 3D printed fish-shaped actuator based on granular hydrogel inks Stefan Pendlmayr, Cecilie Ryberg, Miguel A. Ramos-Docampo, Dennis Wilkens Juhl, Niels Chr. Nielsen, Jason A. Burdick, Brigitte Städler Materials Today Chemistry, 2026 Stimuli-responsive soft actuators are key components in soft robotics, enabling programmable shape changes in response to environmental cues. Here, we present a light-responsive, fish-shaped soft actuator fabricated via the 3D-printing of granular hydrogel inks composed of alginate-based microparticles. Four microparticle types with varying size and morphology were fabricated and characterized for their swelling behavior and rheological properties to optimize ink performance. Active granular hydrogel inks were prepared by infiltrating N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) into microparticles to form thermoresponsive networks and embedding gold nanostars (AuNS) to introduce photothermal activity. The resulting granular inks enabled 3D printing of anisotropic structures that underwent reversible bending in response to near-infrared (NIR) light. A fish-shaped actuator, composed of an active AuNS-PNIPAM tail and passive body, exhibited reproducible bending over nine actuation cycles with change in bending angles stabilizing at ∼37° after initial thermal conditioning. Our findings highlight the potential of modular, granular ink formulations to produce programmable soft robotic systems with remote, light-triggered control. • Granular hydrogel inks with alginate microparticles enable stable 3D soft actuators. • PNIPAM and gold nanostars impart thermo/photo-responsiveness for remote actuation. • Microparticle shape and rheology dictate print fidelity and actuation performance. • Anisotropic fish actuators show reproducible NIR-induced bending up to ∼37°.
On the Assembly of Actin Polymerization-Powered Motors Miguel A. Ramos Docampo, Cathrine Abild Meyer, Brigitte Städler Macromolecular Rapid Communications, 2026 Nano‐ and micromotors are a class of active colloids that can self‐propel outperforming Brownian motion. Polymer synthesis or degradation are alternative ways to enzyme‐based or externally‐driven strategies to induce self‐propulsion in particles, but they are often limited due to the reaction conditions. Nature leverages biopolymerization reactions to sustain locomotion either of whole microorganisms or of organelles inside cells. With the aim of integrating natural locomotion strategies into engineered motors, we have begun to explore the propulsion mechanism of the food‐borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes , which expresses the actin‐recruiting protein ActA on its surface to harness host cell actin polymerization for rapid intracellular movement. Here, we compare the locomotion of silica particles depending on the ActA immobilization strategy on the motor surface, using either homogeneous coatings, Janus‐type coatings, or ActA immobilization within polymer brushes. An up to 5‐fold increase in the propulsion of the motors compared to their Brownian motion is observed when Janus motors are considered. The motors orbit around or dock onto larger tracer particles depending on the environmental pH and on whether they are individuals or in clusters. Altogether, these motors illustrate how integration of concepts of the natural and synthetic world can yield unique engineered units.
On the synthesis of chiral gold nanorods Mathias R. S. Nielsen, Stephany Beyerstedt, Huichao Zhao, Anders E. Kiib, Thomas B. Poulsen, Miguel A. Ramos Docampo Nanoscale, 2026 Chiroptical active gold nanorods of diverse morphologies are synthesized from a single type of achiral gold nanorod and evaluated when exposed to relevant neuron cell lines.
Actin Polymerizing Motors to Assist Cytoskeleton-like Networks Formation in Artificial Cells Miguel A. Ramos Docampo, Cathrine Abild Meyer, Cecilie Ryberg, Daniel E. Otzen, Christian Hirsch, Brigitte Städler ACS Nano, 2025 Artificial cells are man-made systems that imitate specific functions of biological cells to study or harness cellular behavior. Biological cells can respond to external forces and signals by altering their shape, undergoing deformation, and generating the mechanical forces required for their movement. The cytoskeleton orchestrates this process through the coordinated action of actin filaments, intermediate filaments, and microtubules. Examples of artificial cells that sense and adapt to changes in their environment owing to cytoskeleton rearrangement have extensively been explored. These efforts focus on the use of biomolecules that stochastically self-assemble in the lumen of an artificial cell. Here, we employ actin polymerizing nanomotors to assist cytoskeleton formation inside artificial cells. Nano- and micromotors are a class of active colloids that can self-propel outperforming Brownian motion. Inspired by natures’ way of leveraging biopolymerization reactions to sustain locomotion in microorganisms or in organelles within cells, we imitate the mechanism of motion of the food-born bacteria Listeria monocytogenes . Specifically, we coat polystyrene particles with an actin recruiting protein that allows for actin filament polymerization in a mammalian cell lysate environment. This polymerization results in up to a 3-fold increase in the propulsion of the motors compared to their Brownian motion. Lastly, we show that these motors can be encapsulated inside hybrid vesicle-based artificial cells made of amphiphilic block copolymers and phospholipids, forming actin filaments that assemble into a cytoskeleton-like network. Taken together, this effort highlights the synergistic integration of bottom-up synthetic biology and active matter, demonstrating how their convergence can advance the design of life-like systems.
Technology Roadmap of Micro/Nanorobots Xiaohui Ju, Chuanrui Chen, Cagatay M. Oral, Semih Sevim, Ramin Golestanian, Mengmeng Sun, Negin Bouzari, Xiankun Lin, Mario Urso, Jong Seok Nam, Yujang Cho, Xia Peng, Fabian C. Landers, Shihao Yang, Azin Adibi, Nahid Taz, Raphael Wittkowski, Daniel Ahmed, Wei Wang, Veronika Magdanz, Mariana Medina-Sánchez, Maria Guix, Naimat Bari, Bahareh Behkam, Raymond Kapral, Yaxin Huang, Jinyao Tang, Ben Wang, Konstantin Morozov, Alexander Leshansky, Sarmad Ahmad Abbasi, Hongsoo Choi, Subhadip Ghosh, Bárbara Borges Fernandes, Giuseppe Battaglia, Peer Fischer, Ambarish Ghosh, Beatriz Jurado Sánchez, Alberto Escarpa, Quentin Martinet, Jérémie Palacci, Eric Lauga, Jeffrey Moran, Miguel A. Ramos-Docampo, Brigitte Städler, Ramón Santiago Herrera Restrepo, Gilad Yossifon, James D. Nicholas, Jordi Ignés-Mullol, Josep Puigmartí-Luis, Yutong Liu, Lauren D. Zarzar, C. Wyatt Shields, Longqiu Li, Shanshan Li, Xing Ma, David H. Gracias, Orlin Velev, Samuel Sánchez, Maria Jose Esplandiu, Juliane Simmchen, Antonio Lobosco, Sarthak Misra, Zhiguang Wu, Jinxing Li, Alexander Kuhn, Amir Nourhani, Tijana Maric, Ze Xiong, Amirreza Aghakhani, Yongfeng Mei, Yingfeng Tu, Fei Peng, Eric Diller, Mahmut Selman Sakar, Ayusman Sen, Junhui Law, Yu Sun, Abdon Pena-Francesch, Katherine Villa, Huaizhi Li, Donglei Emma Fan, Kang Liang, Tony Jun Huang, Xiang-Zhong Chen, Songsong Tang, Xueji Zhang, Jizhai Cui, Hong Wang, Wei Gao, Vineeth Kumar Bandari, Oliver G. Schmidt, Xianghua Wu, Jianguo Guan, Metin Sitti, Bradley J. Nelson, Salvador Pané, Li Zhang, Hamed Shahsavan, Qiang He, Il-Doo Kim, Joseph Wang, Martin Pumera ACS Nano, 2025 Inspired by Richard Feynman's 1959 lecture and the 1966 film Fantastic Voyage, the field of micro/nanorobots has evolved from science fiction to reality, with significant advancements in biomedical and environmental applications. Despite the rapid progress, the deployment of functional micro/nanorobots remains limited. This review of the technology roadmap identifies key challenges hindering their widespread use, focusing on propulsion mechanisms, fundamental theoretical aspects, collective behavior, material design, and embodied intelligence. We explore the current state of micro/nanorobot technology, with an emphasis on applications in biomedicine, environmental remediation, analytical sensing, and other industrial technological aspects. Additionally, we analyze issues related to scaling up production, commercialization, and regulatory frameworks that are crucial for transitioning from research to practical applications. We also emphasize the need for interdisciplinary collaboration to address both technical and nontechnical challenges, such as sustainability, ethics, and business considerations. Finally, we propose a roadmap for future research to accelerate the development of micro/nanorobots, positioning them as essential tools for addressing grand challenges and enhancing the quality of life.
Light-activated 3D printed fish-like actuator Stefan Pendlmayr, Miguel Alexandre Ramos‐Docampo, David H. Bento, Edit Brodszkij, Dennis Wilkens Juhl, Niels Chr Nielsen, Brigitte Städler Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 2024 Hydrogel‐based actuators are innovative materials that exhibit responsive and dynamic behavior in response to external stimuli, making them promising candidates for a wide range of applications in fields such as soft robotics. We employ 3D printing to create layered rectangles, using a passive ink composed of gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) and an active ink consisting of GelMA and poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM). Our aim is to assess and compare the bending capabilities of these structures based on their layer arrangements in a buffer above the lower critical solution temperature. Therefore, an asymmetric rectangular structure is selected as the shape‐changing component in the tail of a 3D printed fish‐shaped hydrogel actuator. We show that gold nanostars integrated into the actuators serve as photothermal elements, enabling the fish tail to repeatedly bend when near infrared light is turned on and off. Our effort illustrates the potential of combining 3D printing, responsive hydrogels and photothermal elements with near infrared light towards soft robotic applications. This combination yields actuators capable of shape‐shifting without requiring localized light or transitioning between environments with varying temperatures.
Magnetic motors in interphases: Motion control and integration in soft robots Miguel A. Ramos Docampo Biointerphases, 2024 Magnetic motors are a class of out-of-equilibrium particles that exhibit controlled and fast motion overcoming Brownian fluctuations by harnessing external magnetic fields. The advances in this field resulted in motors that have been used for different applications, such as biomedicine or environmental remediation. In this Perspective, an overview of the recent advancements of magnetic motors is provided, with a special focus on controlled motion. This aspect extends from trapping, steering, and guidance to organized motor grouping and degrouping, which is known as swarm control. Further, the integration of magnetic motors in soft robots to actuate their motion is also discussed. Finally, some remarks and perspectives of the field are outlined.
Artificial Cells and HepG2 Cells in 3D-Bioprinted Arrangements Isabella N. Westensee, Lars J.M.M. Paffen, Stefan Pendlmayr, Paula De Dios Andres, Miguel A. Ramos Docampo, Brigitte Städler Advanced Healthcare Materials, 2024 Artificial cells are engineered units with cell‐like functions for different purposes including acting as supportive elements for mammalian cells. Artificial cells with minimal liver‐like function are made of alginate and equipped with metalloporphyrins that mimic the enzyme activity of a member of the cytochrome P450 family namely CYP1A2. The artificial cells are employed to enhance the dealkylation activity within 3D bioprinted structures composed of HepG2 cells and these artificial cells. This enhancement is monitored through the conversion of resorufin ethyl ether to resorufin. HepG2 cell aggregates are 3D bioprinted using an alginate/gelatin methacryloyl ink, resulting in the successful proliferation of the HepG2 cells. The composite ink made of an alginate/gelatin liquid phase with an increasing amount of artificial cells is characterized. The CYP1A2‐like activity of artificial cells is preserved over at least 35 days, where 6 nM resorufin is produced in 8 h. Composite inks made of artificial cells and HepG2 cell aggregates in a liquid phase are used for 3D bioprinting. The HepG2 cells proliferate over 35 days, and the structure has boosted CYP1A2 activity. The integration of artificial cells and their living counterparts into larger 3D semi‐synthetic tissues is a step towards exploring bottom‐up synthetic biology in tissue engineering.
Collagenase motors in gelatine-based hydrogels Nanying Wang, Thaís Floriano Marcelino, Carina Ade, Stefan Pendlmayr, Miguel A. Ramos Docampo, Brigitte Städler Nanoscale, 2024 Motors equipped with collagenase trapped in polymer brushes exhibit high speeds of up to ∼15 μm s−1 in stiff gelatine hydrogels when activated with calcium, showing potential as effective carriers for drug delivery across the extracellular matrix.
Magnetic micromotors crossing lipid membranes Miguel A. Ramos Docampo, Ondrej Hovorka, Brigitte Städler Nanoscale, 2024 Nano/micromotors are self-propelled particles that show enhanced motion upon being triggered by a stimulus.
Recent Advances in Nano- and Micromotors Marina Fernández‐Medina, Miguel A. Ramos‐Docampo, Ondrej Hovorka, Verónica Salgueiriño, Brigitte Städler Advanced Functional Materials, 2020
