Van Vliet’s laboratory studies material chemomechanics: the dynamic coupling between mechanical & chemical states at material interfaces. To identify the fundamental mechanisms of such interactions at the molecular scale, her group develops experiments and computational simulations that span material mechanics, chemistry, physics, and biology. Van Vliet seeks to predict how mechanical stiffness and force can alter molecular interactions, and vice versa. The motivating example of this research is the interface between biological cells and their microenvironments. Van Vliet has thus developed both experiments and computations to quantify how molecular and cellular kinetics depend on mechanical or biochemical changes at cell-material interfaces. These studies have shown, for example, why pH in wound or tumor environments alters molecular binding kinetics and cell migration toward the acidic site; and how rare stem cells can be sorted from other cells based solely on biophysical and mechanical properties. This mechanistic approach requires new tools and models validated in nonbiological material interfaces and extreme environments, achieved via her group’s parallel analysis of engineered gels, nanostructures, and nanocomposites with diverse functional applications. This feedback between biological and nonbiological materials enabled her group to develop the first synthetic material systems that are mechanotransuctive: gel nanocomposites that elicit a chemical signal in response to pressure. Van Vliet leads the SMART BioSystems & Micromechanics team of ~160 researchers at MIT and in Singapore, has co-developed new undergraduate and graduate laboratory classes, and has implemented new programs to retain underrepresented minority students. Van Vliet has >100 papers in refereed journals. Her research and teaching efforts have been recognized most recently by the Singapore Research Chair (2012), Defense Science Study Group (2012), MIT Edgerton Faculty (2009) and Junior Bose Teaching (2009) Awards; and Human Frontiers Science Program (2009).