Professor Stanislav N. Gorb and Dr. Elena V. Gorb from the University of Kiel, Garmany, visited the Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics (LICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences on September 18. During their stay, they each delivered a lecture about their recent work.

In his lecture entitled “Biological and biologically-inspired adhesives: where are we now”, Prof. Dr. Stanislav N. Gorb introduced the special biological behavior and function of insect body parts, explained the concept and research methodology of starting from “understand”, to “develop”, then to “mimic” and finally reach the stage of “evolution” in the biomimics. Then he introduced in detail his group’s study on the fast adhesion and desorption of the walking surfaces of geckos, beetles, spiders and other insects.

In her lecture entitled “Hierarchical anti-adhesive materials by mimicking insect traps", Dr. Elena V. Gorb introduced her study on how pitcher plants trap insects. She introduced the physical, chemical and mechanical properties of surface morphology, surface structure and surface profile of plants when they are trapping insects. She also shared the characterization analysis and mechanical test results involve in the study. 

Introduction to Stanislav N. Gorb:

Scientific career:

2008-, chair of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany

2002-2008, group leader (Evolutionary Biomaterials Group) at the Max-Planck-Institute for Metals Research, Stuttgart, Germany

1999-2002, group leader (Biological Microtribology Group) at the Max-Planck-Institute of Developmental Biology

1998-1999, assistant, Institute of Special Zoology and Evolutionary Biology of Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Germany

1996-1998, postdoc, Max-Planck-Institute of Developmental Biology, Tübingen, Germany

1994-1995, postdoc, Institute of Zoology, University of Vienna, Austria

1990-1994, researcher, Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology, National Academy of Sciences, Kiev, Ukraine

Research interests:

Biological attachment

Functional morphology and biomechanics

Evolution of structure and functions

Behaviour of arthropods (especially problems of communication systems), animal-plant interactions

Awards:

1995, Schloessmann Award, Biology and Material Science, Germany

1996-1997, Award of the President of the Ukraine for young scientists, Ukraine

1998, Chicago Zoological Society Award, USA

2005, Science Award of the Donors’ Association for the Promotion of Science and Humanities in Germany (Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft)

2011, International Forum Design Gold Award (category Materials); Materialica "Best of" Award; Transfer-Award of Schleswig-Holstein

Publications

More than 35 publications have been selected as journal Cover. Here are some cover stories.

Introduction to Elena V. Gorb:

1987-1993, post-graduate student, Department of Botany, Biological Faculty, Kiev University, Kiev, Ukraine;

1993-2000, assistant professor, Department of Botany, Biological Faculty, Kiev University, Kiev, Ukraine;

2000-2002, researcher, Biological Microtribology Group, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Tuebingen, Germany;

2003-2010, researcher, Evolutionary Biomaterials Group, Max Planck Institute for Metals Research, Stuttgart, Germany;

2010-, researcher, Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Christian- Albrechts- University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany.