His research interests focus on understanding physical biology in tissue development and regeneration, and include Tissue Morphogenesis, Stem Cell Mechanobiology, and Functional Tissue Engineering. He received his Bachelor and Master degrees in Modern Mechanics from the University of Science and Technology of China. After completing his PhD in Biomedical Engineering at Columbia University in 2007 (with Professor Van C. Mow), he became a postdoctoral scientist in the Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering (with Professor Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic). Leo is a Pew scholar (Class 2013), and recipient of the NIH Director’s New Innovator Award, National Science Foundation Early Career Award, American Heart Association Scientist Development Grant, and the March of Dimes Basil O’Connor Starter Scholar Research Award.