Soft matter includes synthetic materials (e.g., liquid crystals, gels) and living systems such as cells and tissues. Characterized by “weak stimuli, strong responses,” it shows highly nonlinear deformation under external loads. Such behaviors play key roles in diseases (e.g., cancer) and life processes (e.g., embryonic development). The Soft Mechanics Lab (SML) focuses on the mechanics of soft materials and tissues, with emphasis on the following areas: