He received his M.S. in Mechanics and Mathematics (1983) and his Ph.D. in Physics and Mathematics (1988), both from Kazan State University (USSR). His Micro and Nanofluidic Systems Lab is working on the development of fundamental principles of fiber-based nanofluidics inspired by the lepidopteran fluidic system. The research helps develop a new class of fiber-based devices capable of probing and transporting previously impossible-to-reach liquids, such as those drawn from a single cell or tissue. The basic principles can be used in a wide range of absorbent materials, as in applications requiring low-volume fluid retrieval and analysis coupled with controlled manipulation, such as environmental monitoring and biomedical and forensic probing.