prof.dr.ir. FT (Florian) Muijres

Insects, birds, and bats exhibit extraordinary flight capabilities, and particularly in terms of maneuverability and flight robustness natural flyers outperform any human-made flying device. This fascinated Florian Muijres during his training as an aerospace engineer to such an extent that it led him to specialize in the biomechanics, aerodynamics, and control of flight in natural flyers. During his PhD at Lund University in Sweden, he studied the aerodynamics of bird and bat flight (see here). He subsequently conducted postdoctoral research at the Dickinson Lab at the University of Washington in Seattle, USA, where he investigated the aerodynamics and control of flight maneuvers in fruit flies (see movie).

Now, as Professor and Chairholder Experimental Zoology, Florian Muijres leads a team that integrates biology and physics to study and teach the functional biology of moving animals. The group’s education and research are grounded in evolutionary and developmental biology and aim to translate fundamental insights into bio-inspired solutions for technological and societal challenges.

The group’s research spans four main lines. Three are led by tenure-track researchers, while Professor Muijres coordinates the fourth, which focuses on the bio-fluid mechanics of insect flight. Within this line, his research emphasizes insects of high societal relevance, such as malaria mosquitoes and pollinating bees, thereby linking fundamental biomechanics to applied outcomes. The laboratory is intentionally interdisciplinary, bringing together expertise in physics, engineering, biology, and ecology.

• The Royal Society (1-5-2025/1-5-2026)