Sarthak Misra joined the University of Twente in 2009. He is a Full Professor in the Department of Biomechanical Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering Technology. He directs the Surgical Robotics Laboratory at Twente.

He earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA. Before his doctoral studies, he worked for three years as a dynamics and controls analyst on the International Space Station Program at MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates. He holds a Master of Engineering degree in Mechanical Engineering from McGill University, Montreal, Canada.

Professor Misra has received numerous competitive awards, including multiple European Research Council (ERC) grants (Starting, Consolidator, and Proof-of-Concept), and several Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) grants (VENI, VIDI, and VICI). He has also been honored with the NASA Space Flight Awareness Award. He has served as co-chair of the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Technical Committee on Surgical Robotics and as area co-chair of the IFAC Technical Committee on Biological and Medical Systems.

His research focuses on advancing surgical robotics and medical microrobotics. He develops robotic systems and control methods for minimally invasive procedures. His work spans magnetic actuation and navigation of flexible instruments, continuum robotic devices, precision needle steering, and untethered microrobotic systems for targeted intervention. His group integrates physical modeling, imaging-based control, and advanced actuation to enable high-dexterity robotic tools for challenging clinical tasks.