LIMNI · KU Leuven

Engineering the interface between microtechnology and the human body.

Dr Momina Amir designs, fabricates and tests microneedle arrays that cross the outer layer of skin to read chemical and electrical signals. Research Manager at LIMNI, the KU Leuven Institute for Micro- and Nanoscale Integration.

Current roleResearch Manager, LIMNI

DoctoratePhD, KU Leuven, 2026

ORCID

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Specimen 01 · SU-8 on PDMSSEM

Scanning electron micrograph of a regular array of tapered SU-8 microneedles on a flexible backing

Rigid SU-8 needles formed in a single backside UV exposure, on a 220 µm PDMS backing. Measured height 192.5 ± 4.7 µm across 25 needles.

01 / Measured

What has been demonstrated

Laboratory and human-participant proof-of-concept results from the PhD. Each number sits next to the conditions it was measured under.

02 / Method

From wafer to wearable

The thesis argues that a reliable skin interface comes from choosing geometry, material and process together. Select a stage.

03 / Platforms

Two branches of one design method

A soft-stiff polymer patch for chemical sensing, and silicon electrodes for gel-free EEG.

Silicon pillars before and faceted needles after KOH etching — Dry-etched pillars sharpened into faceted needles in 30% KOH

Side-by-side electron micrographs of a G28 hypodermic needle tip and a silicon microneedle tip — G28 hypodermic tip (left) against a fabricated silicon tip

SU-8 needles after oxygen plasma, with nanoscale roughness visible at higher magnification — O₂ plasma roughening on SU-8, down to the 10 µm scale

PDMS mushroom-capped micropillars for dry adhesion — Gecko-inspired PDMS micropillars, exploratory fixing layer

04 / Capability

Hands-on methods

Methods used across the PhD, the NANOSTACKS collaboration and earlier training.

05 / Output

Publications

Peer-reviewed articles, the dissertation and one preprint, which is listed under the article it became.

06 / Path

Islamabad to Leuven, by way of Barcelona

07 / Contact

Working on skin, signals or small structures?

Dr Momina AmirResearch Manager, LIMNI, KU Leuven